A Connecticut man who was paralyzed while being transported by police officers in 2022 was awarded $45 million after a settlement was reached with the city of New Haven.
Randy Cox, 36, was left paralyzed from the chest down after he was sent head-first into a metal partition in a police van after the officers braked hard while transporting him in handcuffs, according to the New York Post.
Cox was reportedly left unsecured in the back of the van when the officers transporting him failed to put Cox into a seat belt. Body camera footage revealed, once at the police station, officers mocked Cox, accusing him of being drunk and faking his injuries as they dragged him out of the van by his feet, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Authorities Release Body Camera Footage After They Charge Two EMS Workers With Murder)
Randy Cox, a man who was paralyzed while being transported handcuffed and without a seat belt in the back of a police van, has reached a $45 million settlement with New Haven, Connecticut, the city’s mayor and attorneys said. https://t.co/LKO2LDsxjy
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 10, 2023
“The city’s mistakes have been well documented,” a statement by attorneys Ben Crump, Louis Rubano and R.J. Weber, who represented Cox, said, according to the outlet. “But today is a moment to look to the future, so New Haven residents can have confidence in their city and their police department.”
Five New Haven police officers were charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty, both misdemeanors, in relation to the incident, according to another report by the New York Post. Officers Oscar Diaz, Ronald Pressley, Jocelyn Lavandier and Officer Luis Rivera, as well as Sgt. Betsy Segui, have all been on administrative leave since last summer and have pleaded not guilty to the charges, the outlet stated.
Cox sued the officers and the city last year for $100 million. Friday’s settlement represents the largest-ever in a police conduct case, Cox’s attorneys stated, according to the New York Post.
Mayor Justin Elicker spoke to Cox’s mother when the settlement was reached, acknowledging that while the $45 million “cannot bring Randy back to his original state when he entered that police transport vehicle” he hoped the money would provide medical support and other support for his future care, the release stated.
Since the incident, New Haven police have adopted reforms, requiring all prisoners be secured with seat belts while being transported. This was codified by the Connecticut legislature Monday, making seat belts for prisoners required by law.