Sunday, February 28, 2021

Off-duty Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew M. Willmann Charged With 2 Misdemeanor Counts In Alleged Assault Of Several Photographers Covering Downtown Protest

An African-American female photographer claimed that she and another White photographer were assaulted while covering a protest in Milwaukee by an off-duty Milwaukee police officer and a female, which later was discovered it was his 36-year-old wife, who both seemed to be intoxicated at the time.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

February 28, 2021

Milwaukee, WI - The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office criminally charged Matthew M. Willmann, 38, a Milwaukee Police Officer with 2 misdemeanor counts, which included battery and disorderly conduct for the July 5th, 2020 incident in downtown. If convicted, Willmann is facing up to 9 months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines for battery and up to 90 days in jail and up to $1,000 in fines for the disorderly conduct charge, according to court records.

Willmann was set a signature bond of $500 on February 24 and is expected back in court on March 8th for a pre-trial hearing.

Willmann was suspended without pay for 45 days after admitting to the incident from the Milwaukee Police Department for violating the department's core values and respect policies and must serve the suspension in three 15-day suspensions and the first suspension began on January 17th.

On July 2020, Milwaukee police responded to an assault (altercation) complaint incident at the 1000 block of N. Old World 3rd Street in front of the Milwaukee Brat House Bar & Grill where an off-duty White Milwaukee Police Officer identified as Matthew M. Willmann and his wife, Marie J. Willmann, 36, allegedly assaulted two photographers that were covering and documenting a downtown protest, which one is a female African-American identified as LaTasha Sangster Lux, according to her Facebook (FB) account where she posted about the incident.

The officer's wife, Marie, was not criminally charged for initiating the incident in July.

Lux claims that she was physically assaulted (socked) by Willmann and his wife Marie who threw a drink (cup of beer) at both photographers. Sean Kafer, was identified as the other photographer with Lux who had his camera damaged as well.

Lux posted on her FB account, "These fine Americans confronted a groups of peaceful protesters today by not only hurling obscenities and racial slurs, but the lady even threw a drink. Myself and another photographer who was documenting the protest were physically assaulted by the male resulting in camera damages. That last image is him right before he socked me. Please feel free to share. Let's make em' famous." She also posted Officer Willmann's photo including his wife who seems to be smiling. Lux also indicated in a video posted as well that both Willmann and his wife seemed intoxicated at the time of the assault.

Police cited everyone involved in the incident.

Willmann and his wife are allegedly Trump supporters and the Milwaukee Police Association endorsed Trump for President in 2020.


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