Minneapolis, Minnesota – Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced Sunday she will drop charges against state trooper Ryan Londregan in the death of Ricky Cobb II. Cobb was killed during a traffic stop in Minneapolis last year.
In a court hearing last month, Londregan pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter and assault charges.
Moriarty said new evidence would make it impossible to prove unauthorized use of force.
“Specifically, in an open court hearing on April 29, 2024, the defense revealed the substance of Mr. Londregan’s prospective testimony, claiming he saw Ricky Cobb II reach for the trooper’s firearm shortly before Londregan fired the shots that killed Mr. Cobb,” the county attorney’s office said in a statement.
“Additionally,” Moriarty added, “an MSP trainer provided a declaration claiming he never instructed officers to refrain from shooting into a moving vehicle during an extraction, even though that is best practice.”
Moriarty said due to this evidence, the state would be unable to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt that deadly force was not justified.”
Christopher Madel, Londregan’s attorney, has strongly criticized Moriarty’s actions during the case and outlined his critique in a three-page letter last summer. He told MPR News about the county attorney’s decision to drop the charges via email, “It’s about goddamned time.”
Reaction to Moriarty’s decision from the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association was swift.
“Open season on law enforcement needs to end — on the streets and in the courtroom,” Brian Peters, the group’s executive director said in a statement. “Trooper Londregan should never have been charged and we are glad this political case is over. Enough is enough.”
The association’s general counsel and former Washington County prosecutor Imran Ali criticized Moriarty’s handling of the case.
“The justice system is not a science experiment. Prosecutors are ministers of justice. This case was an example of an injustice that has been corrected, but the damage remains,” Ali said. “This prosecutor divided our communities all in the name of politics. Shame on you, Mary Moriarty.”
While Moriarty dropped charges, two use of force experts hired by the prosecutor’s office prior to charges said the shooting was legal and justified. A third expert recently left the case.
