A handle assembly selectively releases a door latch (28) of a door. The handle assembly has a housing (22) and an actuator such as a key cylinder (24) secured to the housing. The key cylinder (24) has a bell crank (124) rotatable relative to the housing between a neutral position to a locking position upon rotation in a locking sense and between a neutral position and an unlocking position upon rotation in an unlocking sense, opposite the locking sense. A handle (30) is pivotally mounted to the housing. A pull lever (46) is pivotally mounted to the housing and connects to the door latch (28). A link (42) has one end (44) pivotally connected to the pull lever (46) and an opposite end (40) slidingly connected to the bell crank (124). The pull lever (46) slidingly engages the handle (30) between a lock position wherein the pull lever (46) slides relative to the handle (30) and an unlocked position wherein the pull lever (46) is coupled to the handle (30) and handle movement is translated to the pull lever.