Milwaukee Homicide Review
Commission
Restorative Justice Conference
Marquette University
Presenter: Mallory O’Brien, Ph.D.
November 11, 2008
Outline
• Overview of the MHRC
• Mock Homicide Review
• Social Factors
• Homicide Data for the City of Milwaukee
• Opportunity for Questions
Developed In Collaboration with:
Milwaukee Police Department
Mayor Barrett’s Office
Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office
Goals of the MHRC
• To better understand the nature of
homicide through comprehensive
information sharing
• To develop innovative responses
• To strategically focus limited enforcement
and intervention activities on identifiable
risks
Overview of the MHRC
• A multi-level, multi-agency homicide review
process
• Focused on addressing Milwaukee’s ongoing
problem with lethal violence
• Draws on both the criminal justice model of
crime incident review and the public health
model of death review
Multi-level Review Process
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Immediate Response
Criminal Justice Review
Community Service Provider Review
Community Meetings
Criminal Justice Review
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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 Review
Representatives:
- Project Ujima and Partners
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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 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
M4479
HOMICIDE # 79
District 2
Thursday
September 14, 2006
1:15am
929 W. Bruce St.
ST
IA
IN
RG
VI
W
RICHARD, MATTHEW N
4/24/1977, 29
B/M
9325 W ALLYN ST
S 9TH ST
Suspect 1
W BRUCE ST
M4479
9/14/2006
929 W BRUCE ST
S 10TH ST
Handgun
Victim
GONZALEZ, GUALBERTO
9/19/1970, 35
W/M
1438 S 9TH ST
W PIERCE ST
District Two
2006 Homicides
SCENE PHOTOS
Scene:
929 W. Bruce St. (Alley)
Fresh broken glass
discovered matching
victims’ vehicle.
SCENE PHOTOS
Victim’s vehicle
Recovered items of
clothing, blood,
broken glass, and a
single casing.
HOMICIDE
VICTIM
• 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.
Gonzalez, Gualberto
H/M 09/19/70 (35)
1438 S. 9th St.
GSW– right eye
(bullet lodged in brain)
• 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
VICTIM
• 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, Johanna
H/F 02/07/82 (24)
1434 S. 9th St.
GSW- left arm & top of head
causing skull fracture
• VELAZQUEZ pretends to be
dead until she hears suspect leave.
• VELAZQUEZ sits on top of
victim and drives to the hospital.
SUSPECT
• Suspect refused to
make any statements
regarding the incident.
Richard, Matthew N.
B/M 04/24/77 (29)
9325 W. Allyn St.
STATUS - CLEARED
Richard, Matthew
Charges: 2 counts of 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide
Felon Possess Firearm
Sentenced: Life in prison
HOMICIDE
VICTIM
What do you know about this case?
Victim
• Associates of the victim
Gonzalez, Gualberto
NON FATAL
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
Velazquez, Johanna
SUSPECT
• Relationship between victim and suspect(s) / offender(s)
• Location of the event
• Drug or gang involvement
• Relationship to other crimes
• Motive
Richard, Matthew N.
AGENCIES
District Captains
Community Liaison Officers
Anti-Gang Unit
Vice Control
Intelligence Division
Probation/Parole
ATF
Crisis Response Unit
Community Prosecutors
Medical Examiner
HIDTA
FBI
US Attorney’s Office
US Marshal
MPS
District Attorney
Housing Authority
PREVENTION
• 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?
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Improved investigations/service delivery
• Changes in agency policy/practice
• Local ordinance or state legislation
• Community prevention initiatives
Trend Data from Milwaukee
Trends in Homicide
Data from the City of Milwaukee
Homicides, City of Milwaukee, 1990- 2007
180
165
168
164
160
Number of homicides
153
144
142
140
138
127
124
122
120
122
121
108
107
107
103
100
105
88
80
60
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Social Factors Involved in
Violent 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?
Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission
(414) 935-7985
More information available at:
http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/HomicideReviewComm22506.htm