MINNEAPOLIS — Voices filled with emotion echoed across the Hennepin County Government Center Monday morning as family members and supporters of Ricky Cobb II encountered a group supporting state trooper Ryan Londregan, who shot and killed Cobb on the shoulder of a metro interstate.
Londregan, charged with second-degree murder in Cobb's death on July 31, 2023, appeared in court for a probable cause hearing, where his defense team asked to have charges in the case dropped.
KARE 11's Michelle Baik says a crowd of about 300 people supporting Londregan cheered as the trooper entered the government center, accompanied by family members and his legal team. Many of his supporters dressed in custom-printed t-shirts that were maroon, the color of the Minnesota State Patrol.
Tensions flared briefly in the Government Center when a man supporting Cobb walked the lobby and in a loud voice attempted to provoke those at the courthouse who were supporting law enforcement. At one point, Londregan supporters sang "America the Beautiful" at the top of their lungs in an attempt to drown out his voice.
Cobb supporters were not deterred, chanting "Black Lives, they matter here," "No justice no peace, prosecute the police," and "Say his name, Ricky Cobb the second."
Security personnel attempted to keep tensions from boiling over and worked to maintain safe passage through the lobby for those not involved in the case.
Floors above in a Hennepin County courtroom, the legal maneuvering continued with managing attorney Chris Freeman telling the judge a new team of prosecutors will be taking over the case. That team will be made up of four attorneys from the nationally known firm of Steptoe LLP, some of them former federal prosecutors.
During the two-hour hearing, Judge Tamara Garcia denied a motion to dismiss a charge of second-degree murder against Londregan. Defense attorney Chris Madel also raised issues of what he called prosecutorial misconduct, alleging the outgoing prosecution team from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's office hid documents and held conversations with Cobb's family, activist groups and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office that are off limits. Judge Garcia took no action on that issue.
Judge Garcia did set an important pair of upcoming dates, with the discovery (sharing of evidence and documents) dealing set for May 10 and the next omnibus hearing set for June 10. The new prosecution team will be in court for that hearing.
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