Judge Dismisses Charges Against Three Connecticut Officers in Paralyzed Prisoner Case
A Connecticut judge has dismissed criminal charges against three current and former New Haven police officers who were accused of mistreating a prisoner who was paralyzed in the back of a police van. The decision, handed down on Friday, has reignited debates over police accountability and justice in high-profile misconduct cases.
Details of the Case and Judicial Ruling
Judge David Zagaja dropped the cases against officers Oscar Diaz, Jocelyn Lavandier, and Luis Rivera after granting them a probation program that allows charges to be erased from defendants' records. In his ruling, Zagaja stated that their conduct was not malicious, leading to the dismissal. This development comes after two other officers, Betsy Segui and Ronald Pressley, pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor reckless endangerment and received no jail time.
The incident occurred on June 19, 2022, when Richard "Randy" Cox, 40, was left paralyzed from the chest down after a police van braked hard to avoid an accident. The van had no seat belts, causing Cox to be thrown head-first into a metal partition while his hands were cuffed behind his back. Cox had been arrested on charges of threatening a woman with a gun, which were later dismissed.
Events Following the Injury
According to police video, Cox pleaded for help minutes after being injured, saying, "I can't move. I'm going to die like this. Please, please, please help me." He was later found to have broken his neck. Surveillance and body-worn camera footage revealed that officers mocked Cox and accused him of being drunk and faking his injuries. Diaz, who was driving the van, brought Cox to the police department, where officers dragged him out of the van and around the station before placing him in a holding cell. Paramedics eventually transported him to a hospital.
An internal affairs investigation report detailed that Lavandier told Cox to move his leg and sit up before pulling him out of the van. Cox responded with "I can't move," to which Lavandier replied, "You're not even trying."
Legal and Public Reactions
New Haven State's Attorney John P. Doyle Jr.'s office noted that prosecutors and Cox did not object to the charges being dismissed. Defense lawyers argued that while the officers were sympathetic to Cox's situation, they did not cause his injuries or make them worse. The three officers whose cases were dismissed were scheduled to go on trial next month.
Lavandier's attorney, Dan Ford, stated, "We don't think that there was sufficient evidence to prove her guilt or any wrongdoing. This is a negotiated settlement that avoids the risk of having to go through the emotional toll of a trial." Rivera's lawyer, Raymond Hassett, called the decision to charge the officers "unjust and misplaced," criticizing police and city leadership for deflecting attention from departmental shortcomings.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker expressed disagreement with the judge's decision, saying in a statement, "What happened to Randy was tragic and awful." The case has drawn outrage from civil rights advocates, including the NAACP, with comparisons to the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore. Cox is Black, while all five officers who were arrested are Black or Hispanic. Gray, who was also Black, died in 2015 after suffering a spinal injury while handcuffed in a police van.
Reforms and Aftermath
The case led to significant reforms, including a statewide seat belt requirement for prisoners and changes within the New Haven police department. In 2023, the city of New Haven agreed to settle a lawsuit by Cox for $45 million. Regarding employment outcomes, New Haven police fired Segui, Diaz, Lavandier, and Rivera for violating conduct policies, while Pressley retired and avoided an internal investigation. Diaz appealed his firing and regained his job, Segui lost her appeal, and appeals by Lavandier and Rivera remain pending.
Attorneys for Cox and Diaz did not immediately return messages on Friday. Cox's lawyer, Louis Rubano, had previously indicated that Cox and his family hoped for a quick resolution through plea bargains. The dismissal marks a contentious end to a case that has highlighted ongoing issues in police conduct and justice systems.
