Joel Acevedo

People

Joel Acevedo

Outcome

unknown

On April 25, 2020, Joel Acevedo, a 25-year-old man, died six days after being placed in a chokehold by off-duty Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Mattioli during a party at Mattioli's home. On the night of April 19, 2020, Acevedo was at a gathering at Mattioli's residence when an altercation occurred. According to Mattioli, he caught Acevedo going through his pants pockets and when he confronted him, Acevedo shoved him and punched another guest in the face. Mattioli wrestled Acevedo to the ground, called 911, and held him in a chokehold until police arrived. The first responding officer reported that Mattioli was holding Acevedo in a "chokehold." When the officer checked on Acevedo, he was not breathing and had no pulse. Mattioli had held Acevedo in the chokehold for 11 minutes and 20 seconds. Acevedo was transported to the hospital but never regained consciousness. He died on April 25, 2020. Mattioli was charged with first-degree reckless homicide. He resigned from the Milwaukee Police Department in September 2020. The trial was delayed multiple times over three years. The medical examiner testified that she certified Acevedo's cause of death as homicide. However, another expert testified that Acevedo died from "prone restraint cardiac arrest" rather than from being choked, and ruled the manner of death "indeterminate." On November 10, 2023, after five hours of deliberation, a jury found Mattioli not guilty of reckless homicide. The Acevedo family subsequently pursued a federal civil lawsuit against Mattioli, alleging violations of Joel's Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.