Two more police officers have been fired in connection with a June 2022 arrest in New Haven, Connecticut, in which a black man became paralyzed after getting injured in the back of a speeding police van.
The New Haven Board of Police Commissioners voted Wednesday to fire Officer Oscar Diaz, who was driving the van, and Sgt. Betsy Segui, the city announced in a news release.Â
RELATED: Man Who Was Left Paralyzed In Police Van Receives $45 Million In Settlement
As we previously reported, the man who was paralyzed, Randy Cox, recently reached a $45 million settlement with the city of New Haven after being paralyzed in a police van. Cox was arrested last year and was placed in a police transport vehicle without handcuffs. During the ride, he suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down. The incident occurred when the police van driver suddenly slammed on the brakes, causing Cox to be thrown forward and hit his head on a metal plate that was bolted to the floor.
The settlement is one of the largest ever paid by the city of New Haven and is meant to compensate Cox for the harm that he has suffered as a result of the incident. Cox’s lawyer, David Rosen, stated that the settlement was reached after years of litigation and negotiations with the city. Rosen also emphasized that this settlement serves as a reminder that police officers must be held accountable for their actions and that victims of police brutality deserve justice. The incident involving Randy Cox highlights the issue of police brutality and excessive use of force in the United States.
Earlier this month, the board also voted to fire officers Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera.
All four had been suspended since last summer, and the firings were recommended by the New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson, the city said. A fifth officer who was suspended for the incident, Ronald Pressley, retired in January, according to the New Haven Register.
All five were criminally charged last November with second-degree reckless endangerment.