Who is Randy Cox? 5 Connecticut cops charged as handcuffed Black man left paralyzed after ride in police van
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT: Five Connecticut police officers were charged with misdemeanors on Monday, November 28, for mistreatment of a Black man who was left paralyzed from the chest down. All the New Haven police officers were charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons and were placed on administrative leave after the incident.
Randy Cox, 36, was being driven to a New Haven police station back on June 19 for processing on a weapons charge. The incident occurred when the officer behind the wheel of the van, transporting Randy Cox, had to hit the brakes to avoid a collision, sending Cox head-first into the van’s rear doors. Cox, who couldn't move from his chest down, was paralyzed and asked the officers for help which he didn't get as they thought he was drunk and faking his injuries. He was then dragged by his feet from the van and placed in a holding cell. He was eventually taken to a hospital. The officers in question are Oscar Diaz, the driver of the van, Sergeant Betsy Segui, Ronald Pressley, Jocelyn Lavandier, and Luis Rivera.
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Who is Randy Cox?
Richard Randy Cox, 36, was arrested on June 19 on suspicion of illegally possessing a handgun. While being transported to a police station, he was sitting handcuffed in the vehicle when he rammed headfirst into the wall of the van. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said in June, "What happened to Mr. Cox was just terrible and completely unacceptable. It will not be tolerated in the New Haven Police Department," as per CNN. The charges against Cox were dropped last month. The case also stemmed certain changes in the department including eliminating the use of police vans for most prisoner transports and using marked police vehicles instead.
This video is HORRIFIC! Randy Cox was put in a police van without seatbelts and, after an abrupt stop, was thrown into the wall HEAD FIRST. We literally witness his neck break! As he was STILL lying on the van floor, he told the officers that he couldn’t move. What did they do? pic.twitter.com/L9izx7vmDt
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 28, 2022
Cox's lawyer Ben Crump, who has represented the families of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin, explained that he was ready to sue the police for $100 million. Daily Mail reports, "If we say, we respect Randy Cox's life and respect Randy Cox's life experiences … then we have to show that by action, not just by rhetoric, not just say we care about Black lives, but we have an actual duty in New Haven and throughout America to actually show that we believe black lives matter." All the police officers were processed, posted a $25,000 bond and are due back in court December 8.