MINNEAPOLIS — The legal team for Ricky Cobb II’s family will seek $25 million in damages in a civil case related to his shooting death by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper last summer, according to a demand letter obtained by KARE 11.

In his letter last month, attorney Bakari Sellers accused State Trooper Ryan Londregan of using excessive force in violation of state law and the U.S. Constitution. Sellers made clear last August that the family would pursue civil litigation, and his latest demand letter represents another step in the process toward a possible lawsuit. 

“Ricky Cobb, II was a beloved father, son, and brother to his family, who will miss his love and companionship for the rest of their lives,” Sellers wrote. “As a result of this incident, the Estate demands twenty-five million ($25,000,000.00) dollars as compensation for the injuries caused by Ryan Londregan, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, and the Minnesota State Patrol’s outrageous and intolerable conduct.”

In a statement, Sellers said he was “disappointed” that the demand letter was leaked to the media.

“The Cobb family has suffered a great loss and it is frustrating that they continue to be victimized throughout this process,” Sellers said. “That being said, we remain fully committed and plan to file suit in the coming weeks.”

A spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety declined comment, citing the ongoing criminal case against Trooper Londregan. Meanwhile, Londregan’s attorney Chris Madel also declined comment, saying he’s preparing for a hearing in the criminal case on Thursday. Last summer, after the Cobb family’s attorneys vowed to pursue civil litigation, Madel wrote in an email that “greed makes people say ridiculous things.”

The civil case will proceed separately from the criminal case, which has come under heavy scrutiny lately. This week, Gov. Walz said he may consider having the state take over the case from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty after the defense accused her office of ignoring a use-of-force expert that deemed Londregan’s conduct as reasonable. During a news conference on Monday, Walz asked aloud, “why would you not listen to a use-of-force expert?” And said he wants to ensure that the criminal proceedings are “fair.”

Michael Bryant, a legal expert and experienced trial lawyer who is not involved in the case, said the criminal and civil cases won’t interact directly.

“For the most part, they’re separate. We’ve seen an impact in past trials where a civil case is settled and then one of the issues is whether the jury knew about it and what the jury thinks about those settlements. So, you can have those interactions,” Bryant said, “but in and of itself, they’re two separate matters altogether.”

The situation Bryant described happened three years ago, in March 2021, when the city of Minneapolis settled with the family of George Floyd for $27 million in the middle of the criminal trial against Derek Chauvin. His defense attorney, Eric Nelson, raised the issue of the settlement during jury selection, although the state called concerns about tainting the jury “overblown.”

The $27 million settlement with Floyd’s family was considered the largest pre-trial figure in American legal history. Attorneys for Cobb II’s family are now seeking two million less than that number.

“They would have to show that something negligent was done. They’d have to show that the state, in their training or what was done as far as the actions of the police officers, that there was negligence involved,” Bryant said, “and by showing that, that there should be an amount of money that should be paid.”

Bryant said the demand letter sent by the estate of Cobb II sets the stage for a possible settlement between the two parties. If they cannot reach a deal, the civil case could go to trial.

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