5 Connecticut police officers charged after Black man left paralyzed following ride in police van - CBS News

1 year ago 36

Five CT officers connected permission aft antheral paralyzed

Five CT constabulary officers connected permission aft New Haven antheral paralyzed successful transport van ride 03:57

Five Connecticut constabulary officers were charged with misdemeanors Monday implicit their attraction of a Black antheral aft helium was paralyzed from the thorax down successful the backmost of a constabulary van.

Randy Cox, 36, was being driven to a New Haven constabulary presumption June 19 for processing connected a weapons complaint erstwhile the operator braked hard, seemingly to debar a collision, causing Cox to alert headfirst into the partition of the van, constabulary said. The incidental was caught connected video.

As Cox pleaded for help, saying helium couldn't move, immoderate of the officers mocked him and accused him of being drunk and faking his injuries. Then, the officers dragged him by his feet from the van and placed him successful a holding compartment anterior to his eventual transportation to a hospital.

"It made maine sick to my stomach, to dainty idiosyncratic similar that," Cox's sister, Latoya Boomer, told CBS News.

The five New Haven constabulary officers were charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons. The officers were identified as Officer Oscar Diaz, Officer Ronald Pressley, Officer Jocelyn Lavandier, Officer Luis Rivera and Sgt. Betsy Segui.

All person been connected administrative permission since past summer.

New Haven's constabulary chief, speaking to reporters Monday on with the city's mayor, said it was important for the section to beryllium transparent and accountable.

"You tin marque mistakes, but you can't dainty radical poorly, period. You cannot dainty radical the mode Mr. Cox was treated," said Police Chief Karl Jacobson.

The officers turned themselves successful astatine a authorities constabulary barracks Monday. Each was processed, posted a $25,000 enslaved and are owed backmost successful tribunal Dec. 8, according to a quality merchandise from authorities police. Messages seeking remark were sent to attorneys for the officers.

The lawsuit has drawn outrage from civilian rights advocates similar the NAACP, on with comparisons to the Freddie Gray lawsuit successful Baltimore. Gray, who was besides Black, died successful 2015 aft helium suffered a spinal wounded portion handcuffed and shackled successful a metropolis constabulary van.

The lawyer for Cox's family, Ben Crump, said Monday that the New Haven officers request to beryllium held accountable.

"It is important - erstwhile you spot that video of however they treated Randy Cox and the actions and inactions that led to him being paralyzed from his thorax down - that those constabulary officers should beryllium held to the afloat grade of the law," Crump said.

Cox was arrested June 19 aft constabulary said they recovered him successful possession of a handgun astatine a artifact party. The charges against him were aboriginal dropped.

Cox's household filed a national suit against the metropolis of New Haven and the 5 officers successful September. The suit alleges negligence, exceeding the velocity bounds and nonaccomplishment to person due restraints successful the constabulary van.

Four of the officers filed motions past week claiming qualified immunity from the lawsuit, arguing that their actions successful the lawsuit did not interruption immoderate "clearly established" ineligible standard.

New Haven officials announced a bid of constabulary reforms this summertime stemming from the case, including eliminating the usage of constabulary vans for astir captive transports and utilizing marked constabulary vehicles instead. They besides necessitate officers to instantly telephone for an ambulance to respond to their determination if the captive requests oregon appears to request aesculapian aid.