A Hennepin County judge has set the trial date for Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Ryan Londregan, who is charged with murder, manslaughter and assault in the fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop last summer.
The trial is set to begin on September 9, and take approximately three weeks.
It's the first time the new prosecution team made a court appearance after Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty brought in outside help to prosecute the case. The county signed a $1 million contract with a Washington, D.C.-based firm earlier this month.
Moriarty said she sought their assistance because her office lacks enough resources to handle the Londregan prosecution alongside the county's typical caseload.
The county attorney is alleging that Londregan’s deadly use of force during his encounter with Cobb was not justified. Londregan is also being accused of not following his state trooper training during his interaction with Cobb.
Law enforcement organizations have expressed support for Londregan during his court appearances. Some argue he was just following his training.
Meanwhile, Ricky Cobb's family has filed a lawsuit against Londregan and another state trooper involved in the shooting.
Cobb was initially stopped by the State Patrol who spotted his car driving without taillights near Lowry Avenue in Minneapolis. That Trooper learned the driver was wanted in Ramsey County for felony protection order violation.
On the body cam and dashcam video , there are multiple troopers that approach Cobb. The trooper on the driver's side is asking Cobb to leave the vehicle, which it appears Cobb was unwilling to do. After the trooper opens the driver's door and attempts to reach in, Cobb tries to speed away briefly dragging the trooper.
That video shows state troopers knocked down and potentially being dragged by the vehicle whose occupant has been identified as 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II. Cobb died after being shot multiple times by a trooper.
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