Ricky Cobb’s family angry Moriarty dismissed murder charge against trooper

The family of Ricky Cobb II on Monday condemned the Hennepin County Attorney’s decision to dismiss the charges against the state trooper who shot and killed Cobb in a traffic stop last summer.

Addressing reporters outside the Hennepin County Government Center, Cobb’s mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, said she felt betrayed by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s announcement a day earlier, saying it felt like a “dagger in my back.”

Fields-Miller and activists at the news conference — including several other mothers of Black people killed by police — said they think Moriarty “folded” under growing political pressure.

“They need to take accountability and stand; be a man and do what you’ve got to do,” Fields-Miller said. “And I’m going to be a woman and do what I’ve got to do and make this right.”

Moriarty told the Star Tribune on Sunday that she would dismiss both the murder and manslaughter charges against Ryan Londregan in the shooting death of Cobb last summer during a traffic stop. She said it was in response to a prosecution expert’s new analysis of video from the scene and recent statements by Londregan’s defense attorney about Cobb allegedly reaching for Londregan’s gun. In an April court hearing, attorney Chris Madel said his client feared for the life of his partner, Brett Seide, because he believed Cobb was reaching for Londregan’s gun during the July 2023 traffic stop.

The county attorney said Sunday that the prosecution could continue on the case, but that “we ethically can’t do that because we don’t believe at this point that we can disprove that affirmative defense.” A civil case against both troopers is still active.

Following Cobb’s mother at the news conference was Cobb’s 17-year-old niece, Ra’Kiya Cobb. As she cried, she said she felt her family had been lied to and deprived of justice.

“I’m tired of us getting led this way and then getting led back this way,” she said. “We’re getting the runaround. You all should be making the city better, not making it worse.”

Speakers were critical of the timing of Moriarty’s dismissal announcement, which came three days after a suspect allegedly shot and killed Minneapolis officer Jamal Mitchell.

Moriarty said Sunday that Mitchell’s killing did not influence her decision to dismiss the charges against Londregan. But activists who spoke out on Monday weren’t convinced. Toshira Garraway, founder of Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, said she took issue with Moriarty beginning her announcement of the dismissals by discussing and lamenting Mitchell’s death.

Ricky Cobb’s twin brother, Rashad, was one of several speakers critical of Gov. Tim Walz for previously saying he might remove Moriarty’s office from the case and intervene, rather than letting it play out.

“Do your job, because the people gave you that job,” Rashad Cobb said.