Family of Joel Acevedo Call for Immediate Release of Body CAM footage and 911 Recording

Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr & Community Activist Tory Lowe Hold Rally Outside the Home of Michael Mattioli.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – May 29, 2020 – On April 19, 2020, Joel Acevedo’s family learned that he had been transported to the hospital; this is a day that Jose’ and Maribel Acevedo (parents) will never forget.

A criminal complaint filed against Michael Mattioli details a portion of what happened at 7:28 a.m., on Sunday, April 19, 2020. Count 1 under the complaint contends that Mattioli recklessly caused the death of Joel Acevedo. Dr. Brian Peterson, Chief Medical Examiner for Milwaukee County performed an autopsy on Joel Acevedo, concluding that the manner of death was homicide, and the cause of death was “Anoxic Encephalopathy due to Traumatic Asphyxia.” Many unanswered questions remain for the family of Joel, yet the looming question is why would an officer of the law, someone who is there to protect and serve, strangle the life out of someone he refers to as ‘friend’?

On the night before Acevedo’s death, he was invited to attend a house party at the home of off-duty police officer Michael Mattioli. While the city was on lock down due to COVID-19, and law enforcement officers were issuing citations to those who did not adhere to stay at home restrictions, Mattioli, a sworn police officer, was not following the very rules that he was supposed to be enforcing.

B’Ivory LaMarr, the attorney for Joel Acevedo’s family said “It is absolutely unacceptable for a law enforcement officer to believe that he or she is above the law.” He added, “Those who are sworn to protect and serve are held at a higher level of accountability, but here we are again asking a familiar question – WHY? Why has another life been lost at the hands of a police officer?”

Prior to the rally on Friday, Acevedo’s mother said “My family will not stop until we get justice for Joel. We do not want his death to be in vain.” Maribel Acevedo talked about her son’s love for family, and the love he had for his dogs. While Joel was not married, and did not have children of his own, according to his sister Julissa, his niece was his pride and joy. “We have a very closely knit family, and my brother Joel was the light of the room, and he would do anything to make his niece smile,” said Julissa Acevedo.

Community activist Tory Lowe, called for the police department’s termination and prosecution of Michael Mattioli, and says the community “wants legislators to pass a law that will hold officers more accountable for their actions.” He added, “This family is suffering, these parents are grieving, and the very individuals responsible for their son’s death remain free, while the Acevedo’s have had to bury their son.”

According to the criminal complaint, “Mattioli had appeared to place Joel in a rear naked choke hold.” A recording from the body camera of Officer Bouzek indicated that “Mattioli first stated that he held Joel because he was punching his friend, Chris.” Mattioli then modified his story when making a statement to Milwaukee County District Attorney. He states that “he confronted Joel about stealing from him prior to the confrontation that led to Joel’s death.”

Attorney LaMarr and his legal team have called for the immediate release of body CAM video, as well as 911 recordings from April 19, 2020. He has vowed to the Acevedo family that he and his team will be relentless in exercising all options to get to the bottom of what happened, and to get justice for Joel.

# # #
All media inquiries and interview requests should be directed to Tanya Wiley at 336-345-2628. WC Consulting & Communications, LLC