Prosecutors now say it's "unknown" whether they'll seek aggravated sentencing for trooper who shot, killed Ricky Cobb II
MINNEAPOLIS — Prosecutors on Friday said that it's now "unknown at this time" whether they will seek aggravated sentencing for the Minnesota state trooper currently charged in the fatal shooting of a man during a traffic stop last summer, should he be convicted.
This comes after documents filed earlier this week indicated prosecutors would attempt to prove trooper Ryan Londregan "committed additional offenses on other occasions."
Londegran was earlier charged with felony counts of second-degree unintentional murder, first-degree assault and second-degree manslaughter. The complaint says he shot and killed Ricky Cobb II on July 31 after Cobb refused to leave his vehicle and attempted to drive away. Other troopers were present, including one standing at the open driver's side door when Cobb pulled away.
The state did not indicate what additional offenses it would seek to prove, nor which elements of the alleged crime would necessitate a sentencing departure. Londregan's defense says they responded, demanding that prosecutors "provide evidence" of those additional offenses, and threatened to file a "bad-faith motion to strike" unless the state did so by noon Friday.
A few minutes before that deadline, according to court records, the prosecution filed an amended notice that read, in part, "it is unknown at this time whether the defendant has committed additional offenses on other occasions which the State would seek to prove," adding "it is unknown at this time whether the State will seek an aggravated sentence."
The filing by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty indicates that the prosecution still "reserves the right to file an amended or supplemental" notice.
In response to the initial filing, Londregan's attorney told WCCO on Thursday "it is total utter nonsense. Trooper Ryan is innocent."
Londregan made his first court appearance earlier this week and is scheduled to appear again April 29.
Cobb's family has filed a complaint with the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, arguing Londregan's use of deadly force did not comply with state statues because, they say, Cobb presented no threat to the troopers. When Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the charges against Londregan, she concurred, saying the trooper's use of deadly force was not necessary to prevent "reasonably likely" death or great bodily harm to the officer or another.
