Civil rights attorney representing George Floyd's family joins legal team of Acevedo family as Mattioli makes first appearance

Updated: 6:39 p.m. on June 24, 2020

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Prosecutors charged Milwaukee police officer Michael Mattioli with first degree reckless homicide in May, and on Wednesday, June 24, he appeared in court for the first time.

Joel Acevedo’s family added a new member to their legal team-renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.

Crump is known for representing families with loved ones killed by police, including the families of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin.

Crump and Acevedo’s family are calling on Milwaukee police to publicly release the 911 call and the body cam video from Acevedo’s death in April.

Investigators say Mattioli put Acevedo in a chokehold during a fight at Mattioli’s home in April.

Mattioli was off-duty at the time, Acevedo died 6 days later.

Prosecutors charged Mattioli with first degree reckless homicide in May.

Acevedo’s family has been left wondering why Joel died at the hands of a Milwaukee police officer.

“Officers should be held to a higher standard,” said Joel’s sister Julissa Acevedo. “Their behavior on and off-duty matters.”

Acevedo’s family and his attorneys say Joel was choked for 10 minutes and Mattioli has never shown any remorse.

“It’s a disgrace, no one spoke up for us in that courtroom today,” said Joel’s father, Jose Acevedo.

Attorneys asked for a higher bail for Mattioli.

It was set at $50,000 dollars before Acevedo’s death, but the judge said no.

“They don’t want to release the footage; they don’t want to release the 911 calls because it is evidence of truth,” said Joel’s mother, Maribel Acevedo. “I am tired of these officers having these false truths to justify their crimes.”

“Release the 911 tapes immediately,” said attorney Benjamin Crump, who along with B’Ivory Lamarr are representing Joel Acevedo’s family.

Crump also represents the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.

He says just like those cases, without the evidence, we’re only getting one side of the story.

“His life mattered,” said Crump. “And we have got to stop treating these cops like they’re above the law.”

Mattioli is expected back in court on July 13 for a preliminary hearing, where they will not show the body cam footage.

Attorneys for the Acevedo family say if they do not publicly release the body cam footage and the 911 calls they will file a lawsuit for them to be released.

Posted: 6:50 p.m. on June 23, 2020

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The civil rights attorney representing George Floyd's family is now representing a Milwaukee family.

Benjamin Crump has joined the legal team for the family of Joel Acevedo.

Acevedo died after he got in a fight with Milwaukee police officer Michael Mattioli.

Mattioli was off-duty at the time.

Crump's office says he will hold a news conference Wednesday, June 24, to oppose reduced bail for Mattioli and to demand body cam video and 911 recordings from the night of the fight.