The family of Ricky Cobb II on Monday condemned the Hennepin County Attorney’s decision to dismiss charges against the state trooper who shot and killed Cobb during a traffic stop last summer.
Cobb’s mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, told reporters outside the Hennepin County Government Center that she felt betrayed by Hennepin County 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 believe Moriarty has “buckled” under growing political pressure.
“They have to take responsibility and stand their ground; be a man and do what you have to do,” Fields-Miller said. “And I will be a woman and do what I have to do to make this right.”
Moriarty told the Star Tribune on Sunday that she would dismiss both murder and manslaughter charges against Londregan in the shooting of Cobb during a traffic stop last summer. She said this was in response to a prosecutor’s new analysis of video footage at the scene and to recent statements from Londregan’s attorney about Cobb allegedly reaching for Londregan’s gun. During a hearing in April, defense attorney Chris Madel said his client feared for the life of his partner, Brett Seide, because he believed Cobb reached for Londregan’s gun during the July 2023 traffic stop.
The district attorney said Sunday that the prosecution could pursue the case, but that “ethically we cannot do that because we do not believe at this time that we can refute that affirmative defense.” A civil case against both troopers is still pending.
Cobb’s mother was followed at the news conference by Cobb’s 17-year-old niece, Ra’Kiya Cobb. As she cried, she said she felt like her family had been lied to and there was no justice.
“I’m tired of us being led this way and then led this way again,” she said. ‘We’ll get the solution. You should all be making the city better, not worse.”
Speakers were critical of the timing of Moriarty’s resignation announcement, which came three days after a suspect allegedly shot Minneapolis Officer Jamal Mitchell.
Moriarty said Sunday that Mitchell’s killing had no influence on her decision to dismiss charges against Londregan. But activists who spoke out Monday were not convinced. Toshira Garraway, founder of Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, said she took issue with Moriarty beginning her announcement of the firings against Londregan by discussing and regretting Mitchell’s death.
Ricky Cobb’s twin brother, Rashad, was one of several speakers criticizing Governor Tim Walz for previously saying he might remove Moriarty’s office from the case and intervene, rather than letting the case play out .
“Do your job because the people gave you that job,” Rashad Cobb said.
