The Minnesota State Patrol has secured a major victory in a long-running court battle following a unanimous decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The court has thrown out a civil lawsuit brought by the estate of Ricky Cobb II, affirming the dismissal of the case and reinforcing previous findings that State Trooper Ryan Londregan's actions did not violate clearly established constitutional rights.
The appeals court agreed with U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel's October 2024 ruling that Londregan is entitled to qualified immunity. The judges found that neither the seizure nor the use of force violated Cobb's constitutional rights, specifically noting that the video evidence "blatantly contradicts" the narrative pushed by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty and the plaintiffs.
This decision brings an end to a case that began on July 31, 2023, when Trooper Brett Seide pulled over Ricky Cobb II on I-94 for a traffic violation. Dispatch immediately alerted Seide that Cobb had an active felony warrant for violating a protective order. When Seide and arriving Trooper Ryan Londregan attempted to lawfully arrest him, Cobb refused to exit the vehicle, and Seide was dragged into the car, putting his life in immediate danger.
Trooper Londregan fired to save his fellow trooper's life, but Cobb accelerated, knocking both officers to the ground. Cobb was later pronounced dead at the scene. Bodycam and dashcam video told the truth from day one, contradicting the narrative pushed by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
The civil case was brought after Moriarty charged Londregan with second-degree unintentional murder and other felonies in January 2024. Despite hiring a team of expensive Washington, D.C. lawyers and spending over $500,000 of taxpayer money, Moriarty was forced to dismiss all criminal charges in June 2024 after the evidence made it impossible to proceed.
Attorney Chris Madel, who represented Londregan in both his criminal and civil cases, plans to seek legal fees from Attorney General Keith Ellison's office, alleging that Ellison ignored the statute that requires his office to represent Londregan without conditions. Madel stated that Ellison's office demanded that Londregan agree to relinquish his right to settle the case in exchange for representation.
Following the unanimous decision, Madel vowed to continue fighting against what he called "anti-cop bullshit." The case has now been closed, but the outcome may have significant implications for future cases involving law enforcement officers and their rights.
