New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson announced on Tuesday he is recommending the firing of four police officers involved in the transportation incident that left a Black man paralyzed from the chest down.
On June 2022, Randy Cox, 36, was arrested on suspicion of illegally possessing a handgun. After his arrest, officers transported Cox in a police van but failed to strap him in properly. Video of the van ride shows Cox, who was handcuffed, being tossed around the van after the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Five officers were arrested and charged with second-degree reckless endangerment in November. Surprisingly enough, four of the five officers who are facing possible termination have been on paid administrative leave since the incident.
Officer Oscar Diaz, Officer Jocelyn Lavandier, Officer Luis Rivera and Sgt. Betsy Segui have been on administrative leave since the Randy Cox incident.
The fifth officer, Ronald Pressley, retired right after Cox was paralyzed and isn’t part of Chief Jacobson’s recommendation. According to Chief Jacobson, an internal affairs investigation was completed March 6, which lead to Jacobson’s recommendation. Two other people will also be disciplined for their roles in the incident but will not be identified to the public.
“If we gave Randy a voice that day when he said he was injured, we wouldn’t be here today,” Jacobson said in a press conference. “If we treated him with dignity, we might not be here today. If we were neutral in our decision-making when he said he was injured, we might not be here today.”
Hearings of the four recommended terminations will take place as soon as late April.
On Juneteenth of this year, Richard “Randy” Cox was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm without a permit, criminal possession of a firearm and two misdemeanors, all of which were ultimately dropped.
It’s likely the video footage from the arrest and showing the inside of the police van while Cox…
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