Officer Accused Of Reckless Homicide Resigns
Michael Mattioli pleaded not guilty yesterday in death of Joel Acevedo and has resigned from police department.

Demonstrators left signs calling for justice for Joel Acevedo outside Milwaukee Police officer Michael Mattioli’s house in a protest on May 29, 2020. Madeline Fox/WPR
A Milwaukee police officer who pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide following the death of a man during a fight at the off-duty officer’s home has resigned.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and protesters have been calling for Officer Michael Mattioli to be fired since the death of Joel Acevedo, 25, in April. The Milwaukee Police Department confirmed Tuesday evening Mattioli has stepped down.
Mattioli, 32, was off duty on April 19 when he reportedly got into a fight with Acevedo at a southside Milwaukee home. He is accused of using a choke hold on Acevedo, who was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital and died from his injuries six days later.
Mattioli was originally arrested and charged with first-degree reckless injury and strangulation and suffocation. He has been on paid suspension since April. He was paid $109,006 in 2019.
In a statement, Barrett said he hopes for a quick resolution to the matter.
“I am pleased Milwaukee taxpayers will no longer be responsible for paying his salary,” Barrett said. “I am confident justice will be served for everyone involved in this case.”
During Mattioli’s initial court appearance Tuesday, Acevedo’s sister Julissa Acevedo spoke on behalf of the family. She said her brother could light up the room.
“I’ll probably never be the same person after this,” Julissa Acevedo said.
She said police officers overstep their boundaries too often, and unjustifiably kill people only to get away with it.
“This is happening all over the country, and I’m hoping Joel’s case will help change the narrative and shed some light on the many other cases all over the country,” Acevedo said. “This needs to stop. Officers should be held to a higher standard. Their behavior on and off duty matters. These are people that we pay to protect our city. So why did my brother die in the hands of a police officer?”
Acevedo said Mattioli held her brother in a choke hold for more than 10 minutes, and that he has shown no remorse.
Mattioli did not speak at the hearing. His attorney, Michael Hart, said that Joel Acevedo’s death is unlike other police killings of civilians the country has witnessed in recent months.
Milwaukee protest leader Khalil Coleman said Mattioli being allowed to resign highlights the systemic injustices Black people have been complaining about.
“There is always a loophole that protects police officers,” Coleman said. “They are allowed to break laws, or even commit homicide and it’s standard operating procedure. He is under criminal investigation and still gets to keep his credentials and go to another police department and get work.”
Mattioli is a 2005 graduate of St. Thomas Moore High School in St. Francis. He was a student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and served in the U.S. Army before being honorably discharged in 2016, Hart said. He has been a member of the Milwaukee Police Department since 2006.
Milwaukee Officer Accused Of Reckless Homicide Resigns was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the 2020 Racial Justice Protests
- Evers Reflects on Year of Pandemic, Protests - Shawn Johnson - Dec 28th, 2020
- The Year of the National Guard - Jenny Peek - Dec 28th, 2020
- Baldwin Questions U.S. Marshall’s Role in Tosa Protests - Isiah Holmes - Dec 19th, 2020
- Op Ed: Vote No on COPS Grant - Markasa Tucker - Dec 18th, 2020
- People’s Revolution Marks 200 Days of Protest - Graham Kilmer - Dec 15th, 2020
- Supervisor Clancy Applauds Activists on 200th Day of Protests - Sup. Ryan Clancy - Dec 14th, 2020
- The “Molotov Cocktail” That Wasn’t - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 23rd, 2020
- City Hall: Police Chief, Alderman Fight Over Use of Canines - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 23rd, 2020
- Will BLM Movement Sway State Voters? - Bridgit Bowden - Oct 20th, 2020
- City Hall: Community Groups Propose Changes - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 19th, 2020
Read more about 2020 Racial Justice Protests here
More about the Case of Officer Michael Mattioli
- Acevedo Family Pledges Push For Justice - Isiah Holmes - Dec 29th, 2020
- Officer Accused Of Reckless Homicide Resigns - Corri Hess - Sep 9th, 2020
- Mayor Tom Barrett released the following statement: - Mayor Tom Barrett - Sep 8th, 2020
- Joel Acevedo deserves justice - Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa - Sep 3rd, 2020
- Milwaukee Police Department Decides to Move Forward with the Internal Investigation of the Off-Duty Incident Involving Officer Michael Mattioli - Milwaukee Police Department - Sep 2nd, 2020
- Can Police Be Defunded? - Allison Dikanovic - Jul 26th, 2020
- Independent Business Association of Wisconsin Stands With Milwaukee Police Chief Morales - Independent Business Association of Wisconsin - Jul 20th, 2020
- Too many failures: We have no confidence in Chief Morales - Milwaukee Common Council - Jul 20th, 2020
- State Law Allows Suspended Cops on Payroll - Corri Hess - Jul 20th, 2020
- Acevedo Family Demands Justice - Graham Kilmer - Jun 24th, 2020
Read more about Case of Officer Michael Mattioli here