Five Connecticut officers have pleaded not guilty in connection to the paralysis of a Black man in a police van.
The New Haven police officers, Oscar Diaz, Betsy Segui, Ronald Pressley, Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera, are charged with misdeamenors including second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons. They pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday (January 11) during their second state court appearance since being arrested in November after 36-year-old Richard "Randy" Cox was paralyzed from the chest down while in police custody, per the Associated Press.
Cox was being transported to a New Haven police station on a weapons charge on June 19 when an officer driving the van braked hard to avoid a collision at an intersection, according to police. The impact sent Cox, who was handcuffed, headfirst into the wall of the van.
The 36-year-old pleaded for help and told police he couldn't move, yet some of the officers mocked him and accused him of faking his injuries. The officers also dragged Cox by his feet out of the van and put him in a holding cell.
Gregory Cerritelli, a lawyer for Segui, who was at the police station when Cox arrived, said the officer isn't liable for Cox's injuries.
“Police officers are often required to utilize their best judgment in assessing situations, and are now being judged with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight,” Cerritelli told AP. “Our Supreme Court has consistently held this is not the appropriate standard.”
Cox is suing the city of New Haven and five police officers for $100 million, alleging negligence, excessive use of force, failure to provide immediate medical care, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, AP reports. In court documents, the officers and city have denied the lawsuit's allegations, claiming immunity and accusing an ambulance company and emergency medical technicians of giving Cox insuccificent medical treatment.
All five officers currently remain free on bail and have been put on leave from their jobs.
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