1 New Haven Cop Pleads Guilty in the Randy Cox Case. 5 Officers Intentionally Paralyzed Black Man by Slamming On the Brakes while he was Not Belted in an Empty Police Van, then Denied Medical Care

From [HERE] A New Haven police officer has pleaded guilty in the 2022 case of Randy Cox, who was left paralyzed after hitting his head and neck inside of a police van. 

Sgt. Betsy Segui took a plea deal, while the other officers charged rejected the plea deal and are headed to trial. If convicted, all three could face up to a year and a half in jail. 

Segui pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment.

She also received a 60-day suspended sentence and a six-month conditional discharge. 

The fifth officer charged, Ronald Pressley, accepted the same plea deal.

However, Officer Oscar Diaz, and former officers Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera, rejected the same plea deal from the state. 

Ray Hassett, the attorney representing Rivera, said not all of the officers played the same role in the incident. 

“Everybody feels really bad for Mr. Cox and what happened to him. It’s a tragedy, but these officers, as Will established in court, had nothing to do with his injuries. They didn’t exacerbate them; they didn’t create them,” said Hassett. 

Four of the officers were fired by the city, but Diaz was reinstated earlier this year after the state labor board overturned his firing. 

Segui’s bid to return to the department was rejected, while arbitration cases for Lavandier and Rivera are still open.

Attorney Daniel Ford, who represents Lavendier, said he’s looking forward to their day in court.

“I don’t think she did anything wrong here and I think a jury is going to agree with all of it,” said Ford. 

In June of 2022, Randy Cox was arrested by New Haven police and charged with weapons offenses. 

He was then put in the back of a police transport van driven by Diaz. 

On the way to the police department, the van stopped short. 

Cox, who was in the back of the van with no seatbelt, flew into a wall inside the van, hitting his head and neck. 

New Haven State's Attorney John P. Doyle Jr. said Cox tried to tell the officers he was hurt. 

“He was met with comments by officers that he was not injured and that they were going to remove him from vehicle,” said Doyle Jr. 

Body cam footage shows Cox being taken out of the vehicle, being placed on the ground and then being placed in a wheelchair. 

He was later dragged into a holding cell. 

As a result of this incident, Cox is now paralyzed from the mid-chest down. 

The offenses Cox was charged with were eventually dropped by the state. 

“The conduct and the behavior of the officers the scene and in that detention center was reckless to Mr. Cox indifference to his person and in different to his claims,” added Doyle Jr.  

Doyle Jr. made it clear that Cox is prepared to testify if necessary, at trial. 

The judge will hear arguments next month on whether the officers will be tried together or separately.

 The first trial is expected to begin on Feb. 9, 2026.