Randicox’s family received the call on the evening of June 19. Cox was arrested by police in New Haven, Connecticut and was on his way to an appointment.
My family was worried, but I was told to wait.
The next call a few hours later was embarrassing and horrifying. 36-year-old Cox failed and was in the hospital and needed emergency spinal surgery.
Between them when Cox’s family and his lawyer presented a police video showing that Cox was the first to hit behind a police van, dragging his legs, smashing his spine, and paralyzing. The big picture of what happened to was clearly focused this week. He goes down from his chest. The van stopped suddenly and there was no seatbelt to restrain Mr. Cox.
“I can’t even express it in words,” his sister Ratya Boomer said Wednesday. “It’s amazing.”
Mr. Cox, a black man, remained on a ventilator on Wednesday with little movement under his neck, his family and his lawyer said. After he was injured, officials ridiculed at a video show that Mr. Cox couldn’t sit.
This was the latest in a series of nasty encounters with police injured or killed by blacks. This episode fueled distrust of law enforcement agencies and sparked widespread protests against police prejudice and atrocities. This is very similar to Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Baltimore man who died in 2015 after being forced to ride unrestrained behind similar police transportation.
“It brings me to tears,” said Jack O’Donnell, Cox’s several-year lawyer. According to O’Donnell, a graphic video of his client’s injury was difficult for him to watch.
In an interview Wednesday, New Haven Mayor Justin Ericker said what had happened to Mr. Cox was “terrible,” and vowed that the city would handle the investigation transparently and promptly. Hours after the incident occurred, the city notified state authorities and police, and they began their own investigation, he said.
“It is very important for us to respond quickly, decisively and openly to this,” said Major Ericker.
According to Ericker, all police officers involved in the case (one lieutenant and four policemen) were put on paid leave while the department was investigating.
O’Donnell and police said Cox spent most of June 19 at a block party in the neighborhood when police responded to the area after receiving a weapons complaint. Officers confronted Mr. Cox and found a weapon, they later said and arrested him.
According to O’Donnell, Cox was first placed behind a squad car wearing a seatbelt. However, officers immediately demanded a larger van. He said the van commonly used to transport suspects did not have seat belts in the vehicle’s bay.
police FootagePublished by the press, Mr. Cox can be seen sitting unrestrained behind the van. He kicks the front of the transport area several times. Then he slammed into the back end from his head: the van suddenly stopped. Mr. Cox’s loose body is lying still while whining for help.
“I will stop, I will check you,” you can hear the driver identified as Officer Diaz in the video screaming.
Officer Diaz stops the car and checks Mr. Cox. Cox says he can’t move. The police officer then sends a radio for medical assistance and heads to the detention facility. After the van arrives, police officers can be seen ridiculing and rebuking Mr. Cox’s attitude and his inability to get up.
“If you have to drag me out, do what you have to do,” Cox told the policeman, who dragged him out of the van with his feet.
At some point, an officer suggests that he may be drunk. Cox pleads that he can’t move because he doesn’t feel anything. Finally, the policeman drags him out and puts him in his wheelchair. Later, they dragged him into the cell with his handcuffed, loose arms.
Mr. Cox had surgery to fuse some broken vertebrae, his sister said.
New Haven City policy does not require police to detain persons arrested behind police transport vans, but if passengers are physically ill or injured, ambulances and medical care are available immediately. It is necessary to bring the people concerned to the site.
Mayor Ericker said in an email last week to city residents that the van seemed to have suddenly stopped when police officers driving to avoid an accident braked.
“This is not a proud moment for me or the police station. Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Jacobson, who will become the next Chief of the New Haven Police Department, said at a regional rally this week.” Randy wants justice. I will do my best to make changes. “
Police officers did not appear to have maliciously hurt Mr. Cox, but Mayor Ericker said their actions “showed a level of deep concern.”
Mr. Cox remains in the hospital and can hardly move. “I’m hoping for him to recover, but I’m not optimistic,” O’Donnell said.
“He was able to speak at first when he first arrived at the hospital, but his oxygen and breathing were not good,” said his sister, Boomer. She said he was able to answer “yes” or “no” questions and showed signs of slight movement on her left arm.
Mr. Cox has been charged with possessing weapons in connection with the case, and the court date is scheduled for July 21, O’Donnell said.
Kirsten Noyes contributed to the research.