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Ethics complaint likely over Ricky Cobb II shooting
Two months after the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office dropped the high-stakes case over the shooting of Ricky Cobb II by Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan before ever going to trial, FOX 9 confirmed Monday that the state’s largest police organization is readying a professional conduct complaint against County Attorney Mary Moriarty for how she handled the prosecution.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After her office dropped a case against a Minnesota state trooper in the deadly shooting of Ricky Cobb II, an ethics complaint has been filed against Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
As FOX 9 reported on Monday, the complaint is being filed by the Minnesota Police and Peace Office Association (MPPOA) over the prosecution of Trooper Ryan Londregan, who faced a murder charge in the Cobb shooting.
What does the complaint allege?
The complaint filed with the Lawyers Professional Responsibilities Board accuses Moriarty of violating the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct.
In a news release, the MPPOA outlined the violations they allege Moriarty committed, including:
- Prejudicial pretrial publicity: The MPPOA accuses Moriarty of making "numerous extrajudicial statements for publication, with the intent to prejudice a jury."
- False statements: The MPPOA alleges that Moriarty made repeated false statements on key parts of the case against Londregan
- Conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice:: The MPPOA claims Moriarty "undermined the administration of justice" in making "repeated lies, disregard of key facts, and other conduct she has admitted being politically motivated."
How is Moriarty responding?
Moriarty's office released a statement on Tuesday, deriding the complaint as a political move by the police organization: "This is an unsurprising action by the MPPOA, an organization that has consistently lobbied against attempts to hold law enforcement accountable and opposed regulations that would ban law enforcement from being involved in white supremacist groups. That’s all we will say on the matter, and will instead continue doing our work."
What's next?
The Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibilities says it usually takes two weeks to determine whether the complaint is worth investigating. Otherwise, it will be dismissed.
If accepted, that office would review the allegations and determine if a violation had occurred and, if so, if discipline is required.