Four Milwaukee hotel employees are facing murder charges after being accused of causing the death of a man by holding him down in June. The accused include Hyatt Hotel security guards Todd Erickson and Brandon Turner, bellhop Herbert Williamson, and front desk worker Devin Johnson-Carson. They each face a charge of being a party to felony murder in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell. If convicted, they could potentially serve up to 15 years and nine months in prison.
Mitchell’s family attorneys have drawn parallels between his death and the killing of George Floyd, as Mitchell, like Floyd, was Black. The accused individuals comprise a mix of white and Black individuals. The Milwaukee County Court Commissioner has ordered all four of them to stand trial on murder charges following a preliminary hearing.
The attorneys for Johnson-Carson have expressed disagreement with the decision to move forward with the case. They plan to dispute any connection between their client’s actions and Mitchell’s death. Johnson-Carson’s attorney emphasized that the actions taken were not criminal and did not contribute to Mitchell’s passing, stating that the situation was a tragedy without a villain.
The medical examiner’s office ruled Mitchell’s death as a homicide. According to a criminal complaint, surveillance footage and witness videos show the events leading up to Mitchell’s death, where he was pinned down for several minutes by the hotel employees as he pleaded for them to stop. The medical examiner attributed Mitchell’s death to “restraint asphyxia,” indicating that the workers’ actions inhibited his ability to breathe.
Following the incident, Aimbridge Hospitality, the hotel’s management company, terminated the four individuals involved. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced that Mitchell’s family has reached a confidential settlement with Hyatt, with Aimbridge Hospitality confirming the agreement. The settlement aims to provide the family with some comfort as they grieve the loss of D’Vontaye Mitchell.
