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The last of four hotel workers charged in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell is now in custody, five weeks after the incident at a Milwaukee hotel. Herbert Williamson was arrested on Friday, following charges of felony murder related to Mitchell’s death at the Hyatt Regency hotel on June 30.
Details of the Incident
Williamson, along with three co-defendants — Devin Johnson-Carson, 23, Todd Erickson, 60, and Brandon Turner, 35 — were charged after prosecutors reviewed video footage of the hotel workers restraining Mitchell. The footage reportedly shows the workers piling on top of Mitchell while trying to remove him from the hotel lobby, eventually leading to his death.
Johnson-Carson, a front desk worker, and Erickson, the hotel’s security manager, were taken into custody on Thursday. Williamson, a bellhop, was apprehended shortly after. All four are charged with being parties to felony murder, which carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years and nine months in prison if convicted.
Read: Man Dies After Being Restrained by Hotel Security Guards in Milwaukee
Circumstances of Mitchell’s Death
According to the criminal complaint, Mitchell entered the hotel on June 30, ran into a women’s bathroom, and was then dragged outside by an employee. The four hotel workers then held him down on his stomach for eight to nine minutes while he struggled to breathe. The county medical examiner concluded that Mitchell died of “restraint asphyxia,” exacerbated by the toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine in his system.
The medical examiner noted that Mitchell might have survived had he been allowed to turn onto his side. His death has drawn comparisons to the murder of George Floyd, with video footage reportedly showing hotel security guards with their knees on Mitchell’s back and neck.
Legal Proceedings and Statements
Two of the accused, Erickson and Turner, appeared in court earlier this week. Erickson was held on a $50,000 bond, while Turner’s bond was set at $30,000. Both have preliminary hearings scheduled for August 19. Johnson-Carson had an initial court appearance scheduled for Friday, while Williamson’s hearing date is not yet listed.
Aimbridge Hospitality, the company managing the hotel, has since terminated several employees involved in the incident. In a statement, the company expressed shock and sadness over Mitchell’s death, extending sympathies to his family.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Mitchell’s family, has likened the incident to other high-profile cases involving the deaths of Black men under restraint. Crump has called for accountability and justice for Mitchell’s family.
