Legal Battle Unfolds as Ex-Police Wisconsin Officer, Michael Mattioli Stands Accused in Chokehold Death of Joel Acevedo

In a chilling turn of events, an off-duty Wisconsin police officer now stands accused of taking a man's life in a fatal altercation after a night of revelry. The former Milwaukee officer, Michael Mattioli, aged 36, faces first-degree reckless homicide charges in connection with the demise of 25-year-old Joel Acevedo.

The trial commences with jury selection on Monday and is projected to wrap up in about a week's time. 

On the morning of April 19, 2020, at approximately 7:30 a.m., a distress call was made to 911 concerning a police officer, later identified as Mattioli, in need of assistance. 

Responding officers arrived at Mattioli's residence on the south side of Milwaukee to discover Acevedo in a chokehold with Mattioli pinning him down. It took a harrowing 22 seconds for Mattioli to release Acevedo once they identified him as a fellow officer. Shockingly, investigators believe that Mattioli had Acevedo in a chokehold for over 11 minutes.

Tragically, Acevedo was neither breathing nor had a pulse when he was rushed to the hospital, and he succumbed to his injuries six days after the incident. The medical examiner categorized Acevedo's demise as a homicide due to traumatic suffocation.

The night before Acevedo's tragic passing, Mattioli had hosted a gathering at his home, with friends and copious amounts of alcohol. According to court documents, Mattioli awoke to the distressing sight of Acevedo rummaging through his pants pockets, potentially looking for items to pilfer. 

Mattioli requested Acevedo's departure, but before leaving, Acevedo allegedly assaulted another individual staying at Mattioli's house. This altercation prompted Mattioli to defend the others present.

Acevedo's family has been outspoken about his death since the news first broke. In April 2023, they filed a lawsuit against two former officers, including Mattioli, and the former police chief, asserting violations of Acevedo's 4th and 14th Amendment rights.

In December 2020, Mattioli attempted to prevent the release of body camera footage from the day of the alleged incident, a move that was contested in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of making the video public under public records statutes.

Subsequently, Mattioli resigned from the Milwaukee Police Department after facing charges. His trial has encountered multiple delays attributed to COVID-19, defense-related challenges, and scheduling issues. Notably, one key witness, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Brian Peterson, is no longer in his role.

Mattioli's defense contends that Acevedo had multiple substances in his system at the time of his death, including alcohol, cocaine, and THC metabolites, all of which are alleged contributors to his untimely demise.

In the event of a conviction, Mattioli could face a maximum sentence of up to 40 years behind bars. The trial will be broadcast in its entirety on the Law&Crime Trials YouTube channel.

 

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