Final Pre-trial Resumes On May 4th For Former MPD Officer Michael A. Mattioli, 35, Who Murdered Joel Acevedo, 25, In A Chokehold In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Mattioli's homicide case continues on May 4th in Milwaukee County.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

April 14, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On May 4th, the Milwaukee County reckless homicide trial of Joel Acevedo, 25, will continue after a 6 months adjournment for failure to contact and serve former Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Dr. Brian Peterson left Milwaukee after being terminated by Milwaukee County. Dr. Peterson did the autopsy on Acevedo and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office lost contact with Peterson.

The final pre-trial is set for 8:30 a.m. on May 4, 2023 at the Milwaukee County Safety Building room 423, presiding Judge Glenn H. Yamahiro, according to court records. Jury trial is scheduled for June 5.

Former Milwaukee Police Officer Michael A. Mattioli, 35, was charged with one felony count for 1st-degree reckless homicide on May 13, 2020 in the April  2020 homicide of Acevedo at Mattioli's Southside of Milwaukee home. Mattioli who was off-duty at the time when he engaged in a deadly chokehold to keep Acevedo, who was an unarmed security guard from leaving his home while begging Mattioli to let him leave after an altercation occurred at Mattioli's house party. 

Acevedo died from brain injuries caused by battery resulting in blunt force trauma to the head when he was severely beaten and strangled by Mattioli at a house party hosted by him, Dr. Peterson's autopsy reported.

Acevedo never recovered from being unconscious and was ultimately declared brain dead a week later at St. Luke's hospital.

According to police, on Sunday, April 19, 2020, at approximately 7:40 a.m., the Milwaukee Police Department responded to a battery complaint on the 4500 block of W. Cleveland Avenue involving an off-duty Milwaukee police officer. 

The off-duty officer was identified as Mattioli, who allegedly was involved in an altercation with Acevedo at Mattioli's home. When responding police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Acevedo, who was unresponsive. He had sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Mattioli was not injured in the battery incident, according to police.

Acevedo's family and the Latino community has sought justice for Acevedo and an outdoor mural was painted at the Southwest corner of W. Greenfield Ave. and S. 6th Street in Milwaukee.

Update: On Friday, April 14, 2023, Attorney B'lvory LeMarr filed a civil lawsuit in Milwaukee County on behalf of the Acevedo family against former Milwaukee Police Officer Michael A. Mattioli, former Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales and Milwaukee Police Officer Robert Roach claiming that the Milwaukee Police Department allowed the use of a chokehold by officers. The Statues of Limitations to file a civil lawsuit expires next week, according to LeMarr.

The civil lawsuit is seeking $15M in damages. So far, the Acevedo family has not received a copy of the police body camera video from Officer Roach who responded to the incident at Mattioli's home in 2020.

Since the deadly chokehold incident in 2020, the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission has banned the use of a chokehold by police.

Mattioli held Joel Acevedo in a chokehold for at least 11 minutes and 20 seconds, according to Attorney LeMarr.