MINNEAPOLIS — Outside the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility, dozens of current and former police officers stood to show support for Ryan Londregan – the Minnesota State Patrol trooper now charged with second-degree murder in the death of Ricky Cobb II.
Londregan will remain free while he awaits trial, allowed to leave the court appearance without bail or being booked into jail.
And afterward, Londregan's attorney Chris Madel made a statement directed at Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
"So on Sep. 19, 2023, the county attorney started this case by saying they retained a use-of-force expert. And that the use-of-force expert was critical with respect to the charging decision," Madel began, referring to the initial statement issued by Moriarty when her office began reviewing the case.
"Last week we found out when Trooper Londregan was charged, they didn't use a use-of-force expert," Madel said before pointing to the officers there supporting Londregan. "Here's a bunch of use-of-force experts. All she needs to do is email me and I'll hook her up with one."
Madel has already waged a more aggressive defense in the public realm than other attorneys in Minnesota's officer-involved cases. He filed with the court a number of social media posts by activists sharing Trooper Londregan's address – and planning protests outside his house – and a video of a car he says was photographing the trooper's home, as well as posts wishing Londregan would die.
Cobb's family attended the court hearing. They didn't speak, but released a statement from a use-of-force expert who's not affiliated with the case opining on the body camera video.
Dr. Geoffrey Alpert wrote, "The video can be used as an example of what a police officer should not do and if the officers had followed protocol and accepted police practices, it is likely that Ricky Cobb II would be alive today."
Londregan's next court appearance is scheduled for April 29, 2024.
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