Cop Driving Police Van In Randy Cox Case Should Get Job Back: CT DOL

NEW HAVEN, CT — The fired cop who took Richard "Randy" Cox on a grievous police van ride should get his job back, a three member state panel ruled Friday.

It wasn't officer Oscar Diaz' fault the van didn't have seat belts, the state Department of Labor's Arbitration and Mediation panel noted in its published 2-to-1 decision.

That journey paralyzed Cox. And, it was in part what led the city to fire Diaz and four other cops and ended up costing New Haven $45 million in a settled lawsuit, called the highest police misconduct settlement in U.S. history.

The New Haven police union brought the case to the labor board not long after Diaz' June 2023 firing, claiming he was ousted without cause. Hearings were held in October, November, and December 2023 with the Arbitration and Mediation panel's decision made Jan. 19, 2024.

On June 19, 2021, Cox was arrested for a variety of charges while at a Juneteenth block party. It was Diaz' job to drive him to the jail, and en route, the longtime officer stopped short driving, while 11 miles per hour over the posted 25 MPH speed limit, to avoid a red-light-running car. It was then that an unsecured Cox went flying into the metal walls of the van head-first. Cox screamed out that he thought his neck was broken. Diaz stopped, and told Cox an ambulance would meet them, radioed it in and continued on to the Union Avenue jail.

Once there, Diaz told supervisor Sgt. Betsy Sequi that Cox may have broken his neck and should not be moved until medical care arrived, but Sequi and others cops at the jail contended Cox was drunk and noncompliant. So Diaz joined in with other officers, who began to manhandle and recklessly move the paralyzed man.

But, the Labor arbitration panel noted in its award that it was not Diaz' fault there were no seatbelts in the van, that he'd radioed in the man was hurt, and that he'd shown "respect" for Cox when he loosened his handcuffs.

Read the full decision here:

CT DOL Mediation/Arbitratio... by Ellyn Santiago

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"Help me. I don't want to die like this."

A series of "disturbing" and graphic videos from police body-worn cameras, and other video footage, show that police officers ignored Cox's cries that he believed his neck was broken, paralyzing him. The jail officers then violently manhandled Cox, as clearly seen on video, as they processed him on charges, and then dragged his body into a holding cell.

At one point in the video of the incident, Cox can be heard, softly asking for help."Help me. I don't want to die like this."

The first video depicts the point when Diaz applies the brakes, going more than 10 MPH over the limit, police said, and Cox goes flying, slamming into the van wall, is graphic and some may find it very disturbing. Diaz eventually stops the van and looks in on Cox, who said he cannot move, and then calls an ambulance to come to the detention center.

The second video begins when the wagon arrives at the detention facility for Cox to be processed, he is lying limp in the vehicle, according to the video. Diaz had called for an ambulance, police said, but not to arrive at the scene of the near-crash, but rather at police headquarters, which is a several minute drive away.

The officers waiting for the van in the sally port assemble to get Cox out of the van, the video shows.

Instead of helping, Segui barks orders at the man who is not moving. She shouts: "Sit up! You’re not even trying! Turn your body. Sit up, stretch out! Come on, or we’re gonna pull you out. You drank too much! Sit up!”

Soon, several officers drag Cox out of the van and try to hold him up, but he falls to the ground.
He’s then placed in a wheelchair and moved to be processed for the charges he faces. In the chair, he slides down to the floor and tells police: "I think my neck is broken."

No medical care is provided.

After being booked, he’s dragged to a cell by two officers and left on the ground with ankle cuffs placed on him, the video shows.

Segui can be heard saying, "See? He's perfectly fine."

"If we'd treated him with dignity, we might not be here today."

Four of the five New Haven cops criminally charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons after Connecticut State Police completed its investigation in November 2022, and the State’s Attorney brought charges against Diaz, then 54, Sgt. Betsy Segui, 40, officer Jocelyn Lavandier, 35, and officer Luis Rivera, 40 and officer Ronald Pressley, 56. (See the arrest warrants below)

They were fired by the Police Commission after Police Chief Karl Jacobson's recommendation following an internal affairs investigation. Pressley retired during the internal affairs investigation, and Jacobson said he would have faced the same fate but "would not see me for discipline." He did receive his pension, Jacobson said.

"If we'd treated him with dignity," Jacobson said of Richard "Randy" Cox, "We might not be here today. This community has gone through a lot, this department has gone through a lot. We will be transparent. We will be accountable. We will hold officers accountable."

Cox sued the officers and the city for $100 million. The city settled for $45 million.

Monday, after the Labor department's arbitration panel released its decision, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and Chief Jacobson released a joint statement:

“We are incredibly disappointed and strongly disagree with the ruling by the Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration to overturn the decision by the Board of Police Commissioners to terminate Officer Diaz for his actions related to the incident involving Randy Cox and for his violations of the General Orders of the New Haven Police Department. We strongly believe the decision to terminate Officer Diaz was the right one, and the city will challenge the ruling by submitting a motion to vacate to the Connecticut Superior Court.

Overwhelmingly, our police officers hold themselves to the highest standards of professionalism and put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve our residents and keep our community safe. However, when an officer deviates from these high standards like what occurred with Mr. Cox, there must be accountability and a clear message that those actions will not tolerated by the New Haven Police Department.
At this time, Officer Diaz will not be reinstated to his position, given the motion to vacate along with ongoing proceedings regarding his decertification and pending criminal charges.”

The arrest warrants for the 5 New Haven police officers:

Segui Warrant by Ellyn Santiago

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Diaz Warrant by Ellyn Santiago

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Pressley Warrant by Ellyn Santiago

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Rivera Warrant by Ellyn Santiago

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Lavandier Warrant by Ellyn Santiago

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Read more about the Richard "Randy" Cox case from Patch here >>

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