In Milwaukee, a former security guard at a prominent hotel has admitted guilt in the case of a man’s death, which was caused by being forcibly restrained on the ground for several minutes. This incident involves Brandon Turner, alongside three other employees of the Hyatt Hotel, who were all charged last summer with involvement in the felony murder of D’Vontaye Mitchell on June 30. Turner, under a plea agreement, could potentially receive probation in return for his cooperation and testimony against the other defendants, as reported by local news. His sentencing is slated for September 3rd.
Attempts to reach Turner’s attorney and prosecutors for comments were made on Thursday. According to visual evidence and court documents, Mitchell had dashed into the hotel lobby and ended up in the women’s restroom. Subsequently, two women reported to investigators that Mitchell tried to barricade them inside the bathroom. Turner along with a hotel guest engaged in a confrontation with Mitchell, eventually hauling him out onto the hotel’s driveway. At this point, security guard Todd Erickson, bellhop Herbert Williamson, and front desk worker Devin Johnson-Carson, along with Turner, restrained Mitchell on the ground for about eight to nine minutes. By the time emergency medical teams arrived, Mitchell was unresponsive.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s report indicated that Mitchell was severely overweight and had heart disease. Traces of cocaine and methamphetamine were also found in his system. The official cause of death was ruled as suffocation, categorized as a homicide. Lawyers representing Mitchell’s family have compared his passing to the high-profile case of George Floyd, an African American man who died in 2020 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for a similar duration. Mitchell, like Floyd, was African American. Based on court records, Erickson is identified as white, while Turner, Williamson, and Johnson-Carson are identified as African American.
The four hotel employees claimed during investigations that, although Mitchell was forceful and attempted to bite Erickson, their actions were not intended to cause him harm. Following the incident, Aimbridge Hospitality, which manages the hotel, terminated the employment of the four individuals in July. Legal proceedings continue with scheduled plea hearings for Williamson on March 13, Johnson-Carson on March 30, and a pre-trial hearing for Erickson planned for June 27.
