Bell doubles offer to $200,000 for charities if Kenosha releases bullet that killed his son
KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The father of a man killed by Kenosha police 19 years ago announced Monday he will double his offer and give $200,000 to charities in the community if the city releases the bullet from the 2004 shooting.
Michael Bell Sr. initially announced a $100,000 offer in November but said Monday he felt he needed to put more pressure on city leaders who have refused to turn over the bullet.
"If you have a man that was murdered by a police officer, rightfully or wrongfully, and the family wants to know the truth, we're entitled for it," Bell Sr. said.
In November 2004, Kenosha police stopped Michael Bell Jr. on suspicion of OWI. Bell Jr. pulled into the driveway of the family's house. While there, he struggled with officers at the front of the car.
The police version of events is former Officer Albert Gonzales, positioned to the left of Bell Jr., fired the single fatal shot when Officer Erich Strausbaugh called out that Bell Jr. was tugging at his gun.
A private investigation funded by Bell Sr. concluded Strausbaugh caught his holster on the driver's side mirror and mistakenly called out in distress. That review found Gonzales was standing between Bell, Jr. and Strausbaugh, who died by suicide in 2010.
Bell Sr. received $1.75 million in a settlement with Kenosha, and he's used that money to fund an ongoing campaign to have his son's case reopened.
Michael Bell Sr. disputes the Kenosha Police account that his son was trying to take an officer's gun before Officer Albert Gonzales shot and killed him.
"They released [Gonzales'] gun [back to the officer.] They released Michael's jacket. They released Michael's cellphone," Bell Sr. said. "They released all these other matters, but they refuse to release the bullet and you have to ask yourself why."
CBS 58 sent messages to both Kenosha police and Mayor John Antaramian Monday. Lt. Joshua Hecker sent an email that said he was replying on behalf of both police and the mayor's office. Hecker confirmed the police department still has the bullet in its possession.
"Regarding the question as to whether the department would ever release the bullet to a private citizen, that question has been addressed by the Courts in the past," the city's statement read.
The statement did not address the question of why Kenosha is choosing not to release the bullet.
A Kenosha County circuit court rejected a lawsuit Bell Sr. filed hoping to force Kenosha to release the bullet. A state appellate court in January 2023 upheld that decision, finding Bell's argument "contains no legal basis upon which he should be granted access to the bullet."
The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office turned over a piece of garage door frame that had a dent Bell's investigators believe to be the bullet impact location.
Bell said independent forensics expert Michael Haag found that dented part of the frame tested positive for the presence of lead while the rest of the frame didn't. He maintained the next step was allowing Haag to test the bullet itself.
At Monday's meeting, Yolanda Adams spoke on behalf of the Kenosha and Racine chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
Adams told the common council she was applying for Bell Sr.'s grant. She said the money would help cover the cost of supplies and space rental for English classes LULAC offers.
"LULAC is an advocacy group. It's a civil rights group," Adams said. "This is a civil rights case, and it's the type of case we get involved in, and we want to see justice for the Bell family."
Bell Sr. said he was hopeful more nonprofits would apply for his offer in the coming days. He said his biggest source of optimism is an upcoming mayoral election.
Antaramian is stepping down at the end of his term in April. He was mayor from 1992 until 2008, a span that included the 2004 Bell shooting. Antaramian was again elected mayor in 2016.
Bell Sr. said he was hopeful whoever wins the election to succeed Antaramian in April will agree to have Kenosha release the bullet.
There are nine candidates running for mayor. The two top voter getters in the February 20 primary will advance to the April election.