When Edeedson “Eddy” Ciné, Jr. was murdered at a Suffolk County CVS on Christmas night 2025, surveillance cameras inside the store captured the crime, but police investigating his killing allege it took nearly 18 hours for the footage to be turned over to them.
On May 16, his family, lawmakers and law enforcement officials called for the immediate passage of the Edeedson “Joshy” Ciné, Jr. Transparency Act, sponsored by state Sen. Monica R. Martinez (D-Brentwood) and Assemblyman Kwani B. O’Pharrow (D-Lindenhurst), to ensure that similar delays are prevented from occurring again.
Following the attack, officials publicly stated investigators had been unable to access the store’s internal surveillance footage, which allegedly contained the clearest images of the suspect, for the better part of a day. Detectives instead relied on witness statements and exterior surveillance footage gathered during an overnight canvass as the investigation progressed.
The proposed change would require businesses possessing surveillance footage relevant to a felony investigation to release that footage to law enforcement upon receipt of a formal written request, without the need for a warrant or subpoena. Firms would be required to comply within 24 hours, providing time for their legal counsel to review the request. The legislation also allows businesses to seek a court order delaying release if compliance would violate legally protected rights. Noncompliance could result in civil penalties of up to $100,000.
The bill is named after Edeedson Ciné Jr., a 23-year-old West Babylon resident, who was fatally stabbed during a robbery while covering a holiday evening shift at the CVS located along Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst on December 25, 2025. The North Babylon High School and Hunter Business School graduate was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently determined his cause of death to be the result of sharp force wounds to his head and chest.
John Pilaccio, 43, of Lindenhurst, was ultimately arrested and is awaiting trial on charges of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
“In the immediate aftermath of a violent crime, investigators’ focus needs to be on identifying a suspect rather than negotiating to secure footage of the incident,” Martinez said. “It is a threat to public safety and a denial of justice for the victim when the collection of evidence is impeded. This legislation is intended to prevent the type of delays that resulted in police waiting nearly 18 hours to receive surveillance video from a murder scene.”
O’Pharrow said, “Law enforcement officials noted that delays of this nature are uncommon during investigations, but expressed hope that establishing clear legal requirements for the release of surveillance footage would help avoid similar situations in future felony cases.”
“Every minute matters in a violent crime investigation,” said Scott Munro, president of the New York City Detectives’ Endowment Association. “When critical surveillance footage is delayed, withheld, or lost, it can mean the difference between solving a case and a family never getting justice. This legislation gives law enforcement the timely access needed to protect the public and hold violent offenders accountable.”
“This important legislation would help law enforcement capture and arrest alleged assailants in critical moments,” added Assemblywoman Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre), who cosponsored O’Pharrow’s bill. “This measure curbs the red tape that causes delays, [and] can result in the assailant getting away and [endangering] the public.”