Mayor: Police Panel Votes To Fire 2 Cops For 'Violations' In Randy Cox

NEW HAVEN, CT – The New Haven Board of Police Commissioners held a special meeting to vote on the recommendation of the city's top cop to fire Officer Jocelyn Lavandier and Officer Luis Rivera for department "violations" in the Richard "Randy" Cox case.

Cox, 36, of New Haven, was arrested June 19, 2022 at a Juneteenth block party for allegedly carrying a weapon and other charges. While handcuffed in a seatbeltless police van en route to the police department's detention center, he suffered a serious head injury that resulted in a broken neck. Officer Oscar Diaz, driving at around 36 MPH in a 25 MPH zone, stopped short to avoid a crash, which sent Cox flying, slamming head first into the van wall.

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 manhandled Cox, as clearly seen on video, as they processed him on charges, and then dragged his body into a holding cell.

When the police van arrives at the detention facility for Cox to be processed, he is lying limp in the vehicle, video shows. Police said that Diaz had called for an ambulance, 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. Diaz says he thinks Cox may be hurt. And Cox can be heard, softly asking for help."Help me. I don't want to die like this."

But according to the video, 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!"

Officers drag Cox out of the van and try to hold him up, but he falls to the ground, and then they put him in a wheelchair, so he can be processed for the charges he faces. In the wheelchair, he slides down to the floor: "I think my neck is broken," he can be heard telling cops. They pull trying to move him back into the chair, ignoring his pleas. On the floor, 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."

Four of the five New Haven cops involved were criminally charged: Sgt. Betsy Segui, 40, officer Oscar Diaz, 54, officer Lavandier, 35, and officer Rivera, 40 and officer Ronald Pressley, 56.

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.

The Commissioners voted four in favor, zero opposed and two abstentions, Elicker said.

He also noted that as their counsel was unavailable, a previously scheduled discussion and consideration on the recommendation from Jacobson to fire Segui as well as the vote on the recommendation of Jacobson to terminate her and Diaz were rescheduled for a Board of Police Commissioners special meeting on June 28.

"What happened to Randy Cox was unacceptable and the Board of Police Commissioners’ vote to accept Chief Jacobson's recommendations to terminate these officers was the right one," he said.

Read Elicker's full statement here:

When an individual enters the custody of the New Haven Police Department, there is an obligation to treat them with dignity and respect and in a manner that ensures their safety and well-being. In my judgement, the actions of these officers fell far short of that obligation, and they do not reflect the high standards to which I know our police officers hold themselves to everyday as they put their lives on the line to protect and serve our residents and keep our community safe.

From day one, Chief Jacobson and I promised accountability, transparency and action. Tonight's vote is another important step in making good on that promise on behalf of the Cox family, the New Haven community and for the integrity of the New Haven Police Department, as we all collectively work to ensure an incident like this never happens again."

The following videos contain disturbing images.A series of disturbing and graphic videos from police body-worn cameras, and other video footage, documenting what happened to Cox, led then-assistant chief Jacobson to say: "I’m not going to sugarcoat this. It looks disturbing. It is. There are things we should have done better. Mistakes were made."