"There is more to happen but right now, in the immediate, we need to save a life that you all almost took away from us,” national activist Tamika Mallory said.
Mallory joined Attorney Ben Crump in New Haven Friday for another call for justice for Randy Cox.
“One hundred and thirty seven days ago, this brother, Randy Cox was celebrating Juneteenth,” Crump said outside New Haven City Hall.
Cox was arrested June 19 and placed in one of the police department’s transportation vans. It stopped short and Cox was thrown forward hitting his head, leaving him paralyzed.
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Cox’s sister Latoya Boomer gave an update on his condition, saying the paralysis begins just below his shoulders, and a doctor confirmed he will likely never walk again.
“He started crying, and the spine surgeon looked at me, waiting for me to say something,” Boomer said. “I’m hopeful, the way Randy was, that he would have a chance to walk again. Now that’s crushed.”
They say he needs 24-hour care, and the medical expenses are adding up.
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“We need the help. We need y’all to do something to help my son,” said Doreen Coleman, Cox’s mother.
Mallory said the city needs to step up.
“We want to save Randy Cox’s life. Do you want to join us? Mayor Elicker, do you want to join us in saving Randy Cox’s life?” she said.
Following the update outside city hall, Mayor Justin Elicker responded, saying they are willing to discuss what they can do to help Cox and his family.
“If you wish, we commit to doing so, to ensure that we can help facilitate Randy continuing to have medical coverage,” Elicker said.
The city’s lead attorney, Corporation Counsel Patricia King, explained that insurance claims for Cox are currently under review. The city has let the companies know they need to expedite the claims, yet they are still waiting for clearance.
“We’re constrained right now by our contracts with the insurance companies in terms of negotiating or getting involved in any arrangement to pay out any money at this point,” King said.
The five officers involved remain on leave, despite the family and supporters continued call to have them fired. Elicker has maintained that the city is committed to justice, and that involves waiting for the state’s attorney to announce a decision on criminal charges before the city will begin its Internal Affairs investigation and take disciplinary action against the officers.
“At this point, I believe the state police have completed their investigation and passed it to the state’s attorney’s office,” said Police Chief Karl Jacobson. “So yes, we’ve put pressure on them because as the mayor said this is a huge, huge impact on this city, and policing in the city.”
Jacobson and Elicker say they are repeatedly told the decision will come within weeks.
In September, the family filed a $100 million dollar lawsuit against the city and the five officers involved. While the family and the mayor expressed frustrations with how slow the process is taking, the mayor says they are committed to justice.
“I have made clear that we want to expedite the process, we want to find the opportunity to settle," Elicker said.
