Four previous employees of a Milwaukee hotel deny responsibility in the felony homicide of D'Vontaye Mitchell.
Former hotel personnel Todd Alan Erickson, Devin W. Johnson-Carson (the desk agent), Brandon LaDaniel Turner (the security guard), and Herbert T. Williamson (the bellman) all pleaded not guilty in a Wisconsin state court on Thursday.
The events that led to this court appearance are linked to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the use of force, particularly against people of color, by law enforcement and those in positions of authority, which has been a hot topic since nationwide protests erupted following George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer nearly four years ago.
Erickson's bail was reduced from $50,000 to $5,000 on Thursday upon his request. The judge agreed despite objections from Mitchell's mother, Brenda L Giles, who argued against the bond reduction during the court hearing. Turner also received a reduced bail of $30,000 to $5,000.
Johnson-Carson and Williamson were previously released on bail.
Authorities have reached out to the men's legal representatives for comments, and they are all scheduled to appear in court again on October 15.
According to a Milwaukee County medical examiner's investigation report released this month, Mitchell entered the Hyatt Regency in distress, hid behind various objects in the lobby, tried to lock himself inside a women's restroom, and became aggressive towards security. The four individuals then escorted him out and forced him onto the concrete, holding him down.
As per the charging documents, one of them struck Mitchell multiple times, another gave him a single hit, and another kicked him in the torso. Mitchell ultimately died due to "restraint asphyxia" coupled with the effects of cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the autopsy report, and his death was declared a homicide.
During the preliminary hearing on Monday, Dr. Lauren Decker, a forensic pathologist from the medical examiner's office, testified about Mitchell's autopsy findings. Defense attorneys raised questions about whether obesity and substance abuse played a role in Mitchell's death, independent of the restraint used by the employees.
Decker responded, stating, "I can't comment on other scenarios, but in this particular incident, Mitchell was held down by several individuals, and he was also in that [specific] position."
Milwaukee Police Det. Martin Saavedra also testified during the hearing, providing insight into the altercation between Mitchell and the defendants based on hotel security footage.
All four individuals have reportedly been terminated from their positions at Aimbridge Hospitality, the company that manages the Hyatt Regency hotel.
Us, as the public, have been closely following the developments in this case, especially given the history of questions surrounding use of force by authorities against people of color. Despite the reduced bail for Erickson and Turner, Mitchell's mother strongly opposed the decision during the court hearing.
