The City of New Haven and the legal team for Richard "Randy" Cox have agreed to pursue settlement negotiations in the civil case after he was paralyzed while in police custody earlier this year.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker released a statement on Monday saying in part, “I am pleased that Randy’s attorneys and the City have agreed to pursue early settlement discussions towards a fair and just resolution of this case. I am also glad that we have jointly agreed to a clearly defined case management plan that outlines both immediate next steps and an overall timeline on all related aspects of this case.
"This agreement reflects the City’s ongoing desire to reach an early, reasonable settlement with Randy, and to engage in good faith settlement discussions as soon as both parties have sufficient information for them to begin. It also provides for long-term contingency planning, that each side has agreed upon, should this case go to trial," Elicker added in part.
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Continuing Coverage
Now, they are awaiting assignment to a magistrate judge for the discussions to begin. A specific dollar amount has not yet been discussed.
The agreement was formalized on Friday in a joint legal filing submitted by all parties. Should a trial become necessary, it would be set to begin by December 15, 2024.
Cox was paralyzed in June when a New Haven police van without seatbelts made a sudden stop. Earlier this year, Cox's attorneys filed a $100 million lawsuit against the the City of New Haven and the New Haven Police Department.
Five New Haven police officers are also facing charges connected to the incident that left Cox paralyzed.
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