Former MPD Officer Mattioli's homicide trial goes forward, years of delays

MILWAUKEE - The trial of former Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Mattioli, accused of killing Joel Acevedo while off duty, will go forward after years of delays.

Mattioli's trial was initially supposed to begin in spring 2022 and is now scheduled for November, almost three-and-a-half years since Acevedo's death.

Michael Mattioli, Joel Acevedo

Mattioli is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, accused of putting Acevedo in a chokehold in April 2020 while he was off duty. Acevedo later died.

Jose and Maribel Acevedo have been re-living their son's death since 2020.

"I think until you experience it for yourself, you will never understand what this process – it’s been a nightmare, and I don’t wish this on my worst enemy," said Jose Acevedo.

The now 36-year-old former officer resigned from the department in September 2020, nearly four months after he was charged.

Joel Acevedo

Police were called to Mattioli’s south side home in April 2020. Prosecutors say they found the off-duty officer straddling 25-year-old Acevedo, who was not breathing and didn’t have a pulse. He died six days later.

A criminal complaint says Mattioli told an investigator he had people over for drinks and woke up to find Acevedo going through his pants pocket. Mattioli said Acevedo denied stealing and punched another person on the way out. Mattioli then got on top of Acevedo, and someone called 911.

Mattioli's attorneys declined to comment after his final pre-trial hearing Monday, Oct. 2.

The trial has continued to be delayed, primarily due to the lack of appearance from the key witness: former Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Brian Peterson, who is no longer in that position.

Over the years, the Acevedos sued for the release of body cam video and won. It will likely be evidence at trial. As of Monday, police still had not released the footage. Jose Acevedo said Monday he viewed the video. He deferred to his attorney as to what it shows.

Jose Acevedo

"I know – we know the facts," said Jose Acevedo. "We know what happened, and you can only try to avoid this trial for so long, but now, it’s come to the point in time that he’s going to have to face the truth, and the truth is, he killed my son."

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The trial is set to begin Nov. 6.