Family of Ricky Cobb II calls for DOJ investigation into Minnesota State Patrol
Reactions are continuing to pour in after prosecutors announced plans to drop the charges against a state trooper in the fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II, and now Cobb’s family and legal team are calling for an investigation into the Minnesota State Patrol.
Members of the Cobb family, as well as their attorneys, held a press conference Tuesday morning to explain the recent developments and said they’re crafting a letter asking the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to launch an investigation of the state police agency, as 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS’ Brandi Powell first reported.
It comes two days after Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office will dismiss the homicide, manslaughter and assault charges against Trooper Ryan Londregan, who shot and killed Cobb during a traffic stop last summer. It happened as Cobb started to drive away. Londregan’s defense team previously revealed that Londregan claimed he saw Cobb reach for a trooper’s gun just before Londregan fired shots.
Moriarty and Londregan’s attorney, Christopher Madel, both held press conferences to discuss the dismissal of charges against Londregan on Monday, trading blame and taking aim at many people.
Cobb’s family released a statement calling the development a miscarriage of justice.
Attorney Bakari Sellers said Cobb’s mom told him she felt “hoodwinked” and “bamboozled” after learning of the dismissal, adding that he agreed. She described Cobb as an excellent son to her and that he was a father who had aspirations.
Sellers said he and the family were “very hopeful in the process” and put a lot of faith and support behind Moriarty’s office. “But that faith was misplaced,” Sellers said.
“I’ve never been a part of a case where an individual is charged with a crime, then articulated his own defense and then the prosecution said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna dismiss these charges because of what you told us,'” Seller said.
Now, Sellers says they’re issuing “a call to action,” asking people to remain peaceful but rally around the family and help them get justice.
The family previously filed a complaint with the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), alleging that Londregan failed to comply with use-of-force laws. They also announced a civil lawsuit against the troopers in April.
Sellers told Powell in their interview, “Minnesota has a problem. a unique problem….from Daunte Wright, to Philando Castile, George Floyd, Ricky Cobb….It kind of feeds into this question of the value of the way in which Black folk are treated.”
“Law enforcement officers have a very difficult job, and myself and the Cobb family pray everyday that law enforcement officers go out, can do their jobs, and come home to their families…There should be policies and procedures in place to make sure that officers can go home safely and individuals they come in contact with,” Sellers added.
In calling on the DOJ to investigate the State Patrol, the family now is likely hoping for reforms within the agency, similar to what was ordered following state and federal investigations into Minneapolis following George Floyd’s murder. However, it’s unclear if the department will take any action to even initiate an investigation.