Joseph Mensah; scene of incident outside his home
MILWAUKEE - All three Milwaukee men initially charged have now been sentenced for their involvement in an assault on former Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah in 2020.
Ronald Bell, 30, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree recklessly endangering safety and battery to a law enforcement officer.
In addition to prison time, Bell was sentenced to four years of extended supervision.
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Niles McKee, 31, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and was sentenced to three days in the Milwaukee County House of Correction; he was granted credit having served that time. Initially, McKee was charged with harboring or aiding a felon.
The third man, 24-year-old William Lofton, pleaded guilty in 2021 to misdemeanor negligent operation of a motor vehicle and was ordered to pay a $750 fine.
Ronald Bell, William Lofton, Niles McKee
The assault happened on Aug. 8, 2020 – at which time Mensah was on paid administrative leave after he fatally shot 17-year-old Alvin Cole while on duty. It was the third fatal shooting involving Mensah in a five-year span; he was cleared of criminal wrongdoing in all three instances.
Prosecutors said Bell admitted to firing a single shot from the shotgun during a demonstration, and Lofton was driving the vehicle he left the scene in. A criminal complaint said McKee was on the roof of that vehicle and provided the shotgun Bell used in the incident, later asking a friend to "hide" it.
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A crowd of around 60 people gathered the night of the incident near 100th Street and Vienna Avenue, and a caravan formed in the street, to confront Mensah.
An investigation revealed that once the caravan arrived at the residence, Mensah came out of the house to try to talk to the group. When he did so, Mensah was assaulted and the single round was fired.