Following a guilty plea by one of the four men charged in connection with the death of D'Vontaye Mitchell, a complex case continues to unravel. Brandon Turner, one of the former employees of Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Milwaukee charged with felony murder, has entered a guilty plea. As part of a plea agreement that could result in probation, Turner has agreed to testify against his co-defendants in the case, according to Spectrum News1. His sentencing hearing is set for September 3.
D'Vontaye Mitchell suffered his fatal fate outside the hotel premises on June 30, 2024. After reportedly causing a disturbance by running into the lobby and attempting to lock two women in the women's bathroom, Turner and three other hotel staffers were said to have forcefully dragged him out. Following the altercation, the 12 News Investigates team obtained an autopsy report stating the cause of death as restraint asphyxia with contributing toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine. The same report also notes underlying health issues including obesity and heart disease, as reported by WISN 12 News. Disturbingly, video footage shows the four men holding Mitchell down as he apologizes and pleads for help.
Other defendants in the case include Herbert Williamson and Devin Johnson-Carson, who both have accepted plea deals, with court dates still pending later this month. The fourth defendant, Todd Erickson, has opted to go to trial, with a final pre-trial set for August. In the tumultuous moments captured on video and obtained by WISN 12 News, a security guard can be heard admonishing Mitchell to "Stop fighting! Stay down! This is what happens when you go into the ladies' room."
The case draws chilling parallels to the 2020 murder of George Floyd, as attorneys representing Mitchell's family seek to highlight the tragic nature of his death. Mitchell, like Floyd, was Black, and the racial composition of the defendants has brought additional dimensions to the discourse around the case. Erickson has been identified as white, while Turner, Williamson, and Johnson-Carson are Black, as detailed by court documents. According to a statement obtained by Spectrum News1, the four workers have claimed that although Mitchell was resisting and attempted to bite Erickson, they did not mean to cause intentional harm. Aimbridge Hospitality, the managing company of the hotel, terminated the employment of all four men shortly after the incident in July 2024.
Public and judicial scrutiny has undeniably intensified as the community seeks to make sense of the events that led to an untimely death. For those following the case and for the family of D'Vontaye Mitchell, the outcomes of the upcoming court proceedings and Erickson's trial will be closely watched, as reported by FOX6 News. With calls for accountability and justice resounding, Milwaukee is once again confronted with the profound implications of the intersection between race, justice, and security in America.
