The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has hired a team of former federal prosecutors to take over the high-profile murder case against state trooper Ryan Londregan, signing a formal contract Thursday that includes an initial $1 million billing cap for their services.
Four attorneys from Steptoe LLP, a Washington D.C.-based international law firm, will be deputized as special assistant county attorneys and assume ongoing litigation against Londregan, who fatally shot motorist Ricky Cobb II last summer during a traffic stop. The move comes amid a legal team shake-up; the assistant county attorney who was leading the case recently walked away from prosecuting the trooper.
The 28-page contract, released to the media Friday afternoon, outlines basic terms of the arrangement, including pay rates for attorneys (blended at $850 per hour), paralegals ($250 per hour) and a tentative end date of Dec. 31, 2025.
The legal team will report directly to County Attorney Mary Moriarty and Deputy County Attorney Sarah Davis, who maintain control over the prosecution.
“Our goal in this case, as in every case, is to achieve a just process and outcome, public transparency, and accountability for the harm that has been caused,” Moriarty said in a statement. “It is clear this case will be extremely resource intensive and will involve extensive litigation prior to trial. These former federal prosecutors with impeccable credentials will be singularly focused on this case while the rest of our team continues the critical work of prosecuting the high volume of other serious cases that are central to safety in our community.”
On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Board voted 5 to 1 to authorize Moriarty’s request for outside counsel, after she appeared before the body to ask for its assistance. She told commissioners that her office was down 10 attorneys and lacked enough experienced litigators to handle the Londregan prosecution along with the typical load of other criminal cases.
At the time, ongoing cost was a concern for Commissioner Jeffrey Lunde, who said it would be hard for the board to stop funding the case if consulting fees get out of hand.
“What is the burn rate?” Lunde asked Moriarty, who did not provide a direct answer. “I think it will be very difficult for us to pull back. Once we are in, we are in.”