Milwaukee Homicide ReviewMilwaukee Homicide ReviewCommissionCommission

Restorative Justice ConferenceRestorative Justice ConferenceMarquette UniversityMarquette University

Presenter: Mallory O’Brien, Ph.D.Presenter: Mallory O’Brien, Ph.D.November 11, 2008November 11, 2008

OutlineOutline• Overview of the MHRCOverview of the MHRC

• Mock Homicide ReviewMock Homicide Review

• Social FactorsSocial Factors

• Homicide Data for the City of MilwaukeeHomicide Data for the City of Milwaukee

• Opportunity for QuestionsOpportunity for Questions

Developed In Collaboration with:Developed In Collaboration with:

Milwaukee Police DepartmentMilwaukee Police Department

Mayor Barrett’s OfficeMayor Barrett’s Office

Milwaukee County District Attorney’s OfficeMilwaukee County District Attorney’s Office

Goals of the MHRCGoals of the MHRC

• To better understand the nature of To better understand the nature of homicide through comprehensive homicide through comprehensive information sharinginformation sharing

• To develop innovative responsesTo develop innovative responses

• To strategically focus limited enforcement To strategically focus limited enforcement and intervention activities on identifiable and intervention activities on identifiable risksrisks

Overview of the MHRCOverview of the MHRC

• A multi-level, multi-agency homicide review A multi-level, multi-agency homicide review processprocess

• Focused on addressing Milwaukee’s ongoing Focused on addressing Milwaukee’s ongoing problem with lethal violenceproblem with lethal violence

• Draws on both the criminal justice model of Draws on both the criminal justice model of crime incident review and the public health crime incident review and the public health model of death reviewmodel of death review

Multi-level Review ProcessMulti-level Review Process

– Immediate ResponseImmediate Response– Criminal Justice ReviewCriminal Justice Review– Community Service Provider ReviewCommunity Service Provider Review– Community MeetingsCommunity Meetings

Criminal Justice ReviewCriminal Justice Review• Milwaukee Police Department• City Attorney’s Office • District Attorney’s Office• Medical Examiner’s Office• High Intensity Drug

Trafficking Area Program• Milwaukee Housing Authority• Milwaukee Public Schools

Public Safety Division• Delinquency and Court

Services Division

• Office of the Chief Judge• US Marshal Service• WI Department of

Corrections (Adult and Juvenile)

• US Attorney’s Office • US Drug Enforcement Agency• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

Firearms and Explosives• US Immigrations and

Customs Enforcement • WI Department of Justice,

Division of Criminal Investigation

Community Service Provider ReviewCommunity Service Provider Review

Representatives:

- Project Ujima and Partners– Milwaukee Public Schools – Department of Neighborhood Services– CDBG Coordinating Agencies– Community Partners– Youth community service providers– Department of Justice, Crime Victim Services– District Attorney’s office, Community Prosecution Unit– Milwaukee Police Department, Community Liaison

Officers – Safe Streets community coordinators

Community MeetingCommunity Meeting• Open to all interested members of the community• Semi-annual “Community Meetings” at the district or

neighborhood level• Lead by MHRC staff with members from Levels 1-3

reviews• Provide aggregate information to the community on

homicides occurring in the area• Provide information on interventions developed and

implemented by police and community groups in response to reviews at Levels 1-3

M4479M4479HOMICIDE # 79HOMICIDE # 79

District 2 District 2

ThursdayThursdaySeptember 14, 2006September 14, 2006

1:15am 1:15am 929 W. Bruce St.929 W. Bruce St.

M44799/14/2006

929 W BRUCE ST

Handgun

S 9

TH

ST

W BRUCE ST

W PIERCE ST

S 1

0T

H S

T

W V

IRG

INIA

ST

11 Oct 2006

District Two2006 Homicides

Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission

Suspect 1

RICHARD, MATTHEW N4/24/1977, 29

B/M9325 W ALLYN ST

Victim

GONZALEZ, GUALBERTO9/19/1970, 35

W/M1438 S 9TH ST

SCENE PHOTOS

Scene: 929 W. Bruce St. (Alley)

Fresh broken glass discovered matching victims’ vehicle.

SCENE PHOTOSSt Luke’s hospital

Recovered items of clothing, blood, broken glass, and a single casing.

Victim’s vehicle

HOMICIDE VICTIM

Gonzalez, GualbertoH/M 09/19/70 (35)

1438 S. 9th St.GSW– right eye

(bullet lodged in brain)

• Victim and non fatal victim live together and have one child.

• Suspect had come to the victim’s residence to talk about purchasing a vehicle.

• Suspect stated he didn’t have the money with him and needed to go somewhere to pick it up.

• Suspect told victim to follow him to this location.

• Victims’ follow the suspect around various areas for 10 – 15 minutes.

• Victim is the driver and VELAZQUEZ is in the passenger seat of their vehicle.

NON FATAL NON FATAL VICTIMVICTIM

Velazquez, JohannaH/F 02/07/82 (24)

1434 S. 9th St.GSW- left arm & top of head

causing skull fracture

• Suspect stops in the alley and approaches the victim’s vehicle.

• Suspect begins to joke with the victim, at which time the victim states “what do you want to do about the car?”

• Suspect then points a gun at victim and states “you know what I’m going to do.”

• Suspect then fires two shots at each victim.

• VELAZQUEZ pretends to be dead until she hears suspect leave.

• VELAZQUEZ sits on top of victim and drives to the hospital.

SUSPECT

Richard, Matthew N.B/M 04/24/77 (29)9325 W. Allyn St.

• Suspect refused to make any statements regarding the incident.

STATUS - CLEAREDSTATUS - CLEARED

Charges: 2 counts of 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide

Felon Possess Firearm

Sentenced: Life in prison

Richard, Matthew

What do you know about this case?What do you know about this case?

SUSPECT

HOMICIDE VICTIM

Victim

• Associates of the victim

• Victim part of a group of active offenders?

• Social history

• Suspect(s) / offender(s)

• Associates of suspect(s) / offender(s)

• Suspect(s) part of a group of active offenders?

• Social history

• Relationship between victim and suspect(s) / offender(s)

• Location of the event

• Drug or gang involvement

• Relationship to other crimes

• Motive

NON FATAL VICTIM

Richard, Matthew N.

Velazquez, Johanna

Gonzalez, Gualberto

AGENCIESAGENCIES

District CaptainsCommunity Liaison OfficersAnti-Gang UnitVice ControlIntelligence DivisionProbation/ParoleATFCrisis Response Unit

Community ProsecutorsMedical ExaminerHIDTAFBIUS Attorney’s OfficeUS MarshalMPSDistrict AttorneyHousing Authority

• Do we have all of the information we need?

• What placed the victim/suspects at risk?

• Were there gaps or barriers in investigations or service delivery?

PREVENTIONPREVENTION

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

• Improved investigations/service delivery

• Changes in agency policy/practice

• Local ordinance or state legislation

• Community prevention initiatives

Trend Data from Milwaukee

Trends in Homicide Trends in Homicide

Data from the City of Data from the City of MilwaukeeMilwaukee

Homicides, City of Milwaukee, 1990- 2007

168164

138

122

107

127

107

88

122

103 105

165

153144

142

124

121

108

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Nu

mb

er

of

ho

mic

ide

s

Social Factors Involved in Social Factors Involved in Violent CrimeViolent Crime

Percent of the Population

Living in Poverty

Percent of Population

who are High School

Graduates

Percent of Households Headed by a

Female

Percent of Properties that

are Owner Occupied Units

Questions?Questions?

Milwaukee Homicide Review CommissionMilwaukee Homicide Review Commission

(414) 935-7985(414) 935-7985

More information available at: More information available at: http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/HomicideReviewComm22506.htmhttp://www.ci.mil.wi.us/HomicideReviewComm22506.htm