WAUWATOSA, Wis. – The fate for Joseph Mensah remains unknown at this time as the federal civil case against the former Wauwatosa police officer ended with a hung jury on Thursday afternoon.
Mensah was a police officer with the Wauwatosa Police Department and had killed three people of color in a span of five years, including 17-year-old Alvin Cole outside the Mayfair Mall in 2020.
After the Milwaukee County District Attorney did not pursue charges against Mensah, Cole’s family filed a civil rights lawsuit, alleging the officer used excessive force and the department promoted racism.
Mensah had previously shot and killed Antonio Gonzales in 2015 after he failed to lower a sword he was wielding and Jay Anderson Jr. in 2016 who was sleeping in a park after hours while armed with a handgun.
Mensah resigned from the department in 2020 and was hired at Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department.
The case will be retried starting on Sept. 8 of this year.
