Special counsel hired by Moriarty bills $578K for work in Londregan case; firm's analysis released

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty made public Friday the analysis and $578,000 cost to taxpayers for the law firm she hired to prosecute trooper Ryan Londregan that instead helped persuade her to drop the case.

Moriarty got the Hennepin County Board's OK in April to hire Washington D.C.-based law firm Steptoe LLP to take over the case after the lead attorney from her office stepped aside. The unusual contract with an international firm for a criminal case had an initial $1 million cap and required monthly invoices.

In June, Moriarty announced she was dropping murder and manslaughter charges against Londregan in the shooting death of Ricky Cobb II last summer. She said a new analysis of the evidence, statements from Londregan's attorney and a recommendation from Steptoe lawyers convinced her to drop the charges.

Moriarty's office released two invoices Friday afternoon from Steptoe totaling 733 hours worth of work since April at a cost of $578,321, in response to a public records request.

https://www.startribune.com/special-counsel-hired-by-moriarty-bills-578k-for-work-in-londregan-case-firm-issues-report/600386582/