Four Milwaukee Hotel Employees Charged with Felony Murder in Connection with D’Vontaye Mitchell’s Death

Four Milwaukee hotel employees have been charged with felony murder in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell, a Black man who died after being restrained by the employees. The incident has drawn comparisons to the murder of George Floyd, sparking a national reckoning on race relations.

The employees, including security guards and front desk workers, are facing up to 15 years and nine months in prison if convicted. The criminal complaint states that Mitchell was dragged out of the hotel and held on his stomach for eight to nine minutes, despite pleading for help and having difficulty breathing.

Surveillance video from the hotel shows Mitchell frantically running into the lobby and then into the women’s bathroom before being dragged out by the employees. The video also shows Mitchell being punched and held down for several minutes before police and emergency responders arrived.

An autopsy revealed that Mitchell suffered from morbid obesity and had ingested cocaine and methamphetamine. The medical examiner determined that Mitchell died of “restraint asphyxia” and may have lived if the employees had allowed him to turn onto his side.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Mitchell’s family, called the charges a “significant step towards justice.” Mitchell’s widow expressed relief at the decision but questioned why it took weeks for the employees to be charged.

The hotel management company has stated that the employees involved in Mitchell’s death have been fired and that they are cooperating fully with law enforcement and prosecutors. The case continues to unfold as the family seeks justice for D’Vontaye Mitchell.