Photo: Getty Images
Four Milwaukee hotel workers have been charged in connection to the death of D'Vontaye Mitchell, a 49-year-old Black man who was pinned to the ground and beaten.
Hotel security guards Todd Erickson and Brandon Turner, front desk worker Devin Johnson-Carson, and bellhop Herbert Williamson are facing felony murder charges in connection to Mitchell's death outside the Hyatt Regency on June 30, per the Associated Press.
Mitchell's death unfolded after he was seen "frantically running into the hotel's lobby," gift shop, and a women's bathroom, according to a complaint obtained by AP. Mitchell was then dragged outside of the hotel and beaten by the workers. Videos showed the employees kneeling on Mitchell's back and neck, prompting protests across the country and comparisons to George Floyd's murder.
According to the complaint, Johnson-Carson said Mitchell showed “clear signs of extreme distress, including gags, distressed breathing, and repeated pleas for help."
“All of these factors, the gasping, the actions and words of DM, the distress that he was in, show that all four defendants were aware that holding DM face first on the ground was ‘practically certain’ to cause impairment of his physical condition,” the complaint states.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner ruled Mitchell's death a homicide and his cause of death “restraint asphyxia and toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine."
If the four workers are convicted, they could face up to 15 years and nine months in jail.
"Four Hyatt employees involved in the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell have been charged — a significant step towards justice for the family of D'Vontaye Mitchell!" attorney Ben Crump said in a statement after the charges were announced.
"The fact that D'Vontaye was held face down on the pavement for eight to nine minutes –– just like George Floyd –– is a sobering reminder of the urgent need for accountability and justice. D'Vontaye's life mattered, and his story will not be forgotten!" he added.
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