Trooper's attorney calls meeting between governor and Ricky Cobb II's family 'troubling'
Updated: Aug. 12, 2:50 p.m. | Posted: Aug. 11, 6:30 p.m.
A lawyer representing a Minnesota state trooper involved in last week’s shooting death of Ricky Cobb II said that a meeting between state officials and Cobb's family is “troubling.”
Attorney Christopher Madel expressed concerns through a three-page letter sent Thursday to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
He also called meetings between Gov. Tim Walz and the Cobb family “inappropriate.”
Cobb was shot and killed by State Trooper Ryan Londregan, one of three troopers on the scene of a traffic stop on July 31, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Troopers pulled him over on Interstate 94 for not having visible taillights. Troopers then attempted to take Cobb into custody after they learned Ramsey County sought him on a “felony order-for-protection violation,” according to the BCA.
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Madel represents Londregan, and in his letter to Moriarty, said he is confident the BCA’s investigation will find he “not only acted properly, but heroically.”
The trooper’s attorney wants the state to collect, retain and preserve documents, including emails, texts, and voicemails and communications, related to meetings between the Cobb family, the county attorney’s office and the governor.
Madel also sought documents and communications from meetings related to the case between the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the BCA; the governor and the BCA; the county attorney’s office and the Minnesota State Patrol; and the governor and the State Patrol.
“It is unfortunate that I must write this letter,” Madel said. “We hope and expected that in the future, your office’s participation in this matter will exhibit a much higher degree of simple fairness — the same fairness required by the Minnesota state and federal constitutions.”
In a statement to MPR News, a spokesperson for Moriarty said the county attorney’s meeting with the Cobb family is a standard practice:
“As we have previously said, we cannot discuss the case further until the BCA has completed their investigation. No PR stunts will change that.
The County Attorney did meet with the family of Ricky Cobb, as has occurred in other cases. Accessibility and transparency are important and it is standard for County Attorney Moriarty to meet with families when it is requested. She reiterated in the meeting that there is an ongoing investigation and she could not discuss the case, while also hearing their hopes for the process.
The integrity of this process is too important for everyone — the family of Ricky Cobb, the troopers involved, and the broader community. Once the case is submitted to us for review, we will use all the resources available to analyze the evidence and make a decision as quickly as possible.”
- Nick Kimball, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office