A former hotel employee from Milwaukee pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor battery, his lawyer stated on Thursday. Herbert Williams had originally faced accusations of being involved in the felony murder of D’Vontaye Mitchell in June 2024 outside the Milwaukee Hyatt.
Instead of pursuing the felony murder charge, prosecutors agreed to lower the charge to battery in return for Williams’ guilty plea and his commitment to serve as a witness, according to Williams’ attorney. The details of whether Williams will be required to testify against others involved in Mitchell’s death remain unclear.
Williams is now looking at a maximum potential sentence of nine months in jail following his battery conviction, with sentencing scheduled for September 3rd. Initially, he could have faced up to 15 years if the charge had remained for murder. His attorney expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached.
Efforts to contact the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office for a response were not successful at the time.
In connection with Mitchell’s death, three other former employees of Hyatt—Brandon Turner, Todd Erickson, and Devin Johnson-Carson—have been charged similarly. Turner, a security guard, recently pleaded guilty to the charge and could receive probation for cooperating with the prosecution by testifying against others. His sentence will also be determined on September 3rd. Meanwhile, Erickson is slated for trial in August, and Johnson-Carson has a plea hearing arranged for March 20.
Details from court filings indicate that surveillance tapes and witnesses captured Mitchell entering the hotel lobby and attempting to secure himself and two women inside the restroom. Later, a clash ensued with Turner and another hotel visitor, resulting in the removal of Mitchell from the lobby to the drive area in front of the hotel. Erickson, Williams, and Johnson-Carson assisted Turner in restraining Mitchell for approximately eight to nine minutes. It was observed that Mitchell was unresponsive by the time emergency responders arrived.
The medical examiner in Milwaukee County found that Mitchell had pre-existing severe health issues and drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine, in his system. Although Mitchell’s death was attributed to suffocation, the manner was deemed as a homicide.
Attorneys representing Mitchell’s family have compared the circumstances of his death to that of George Floyd, who tragically died in 2020 when restrained by a police officer. Mitchell’s racial identity as Black and those of Erickson, who is identified as white, and the other involved personnel, who are identified as Black, have been detailed in court documentation.
Statements from the hotel workers indicated that they did not intend to inflict harm on Mitchell. Following the incident, the hotel management company, Aimbridge Hospitality, terminated the employment of the four individuals.
