Civil rights attorney Ben Crump representing family of man who died outside Hyatt

The family of Dvontaye L. Mitchell , the man who died after being wrestled to and held face down on the ground by four security guards outside the Hyatt Regency hotel Sunday, will be represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

“He wants this case to get as much national attention as possible," Latrisa Giles, one of Mitchell's cousins, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It gives a little bit of comfortable to know we are going to push to get justice served."

Giles said additional information concerning the family's legal course of action would be forthcoming during a press conference Monday in Milwaukee with Crump.

Mitchell, 43, died around 4 p.m. Sunday following the altercation with security guards at the Hyatt, located in downtown Milwaukee on Kilbourn Avenue. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner and Milwaukee police were called to the scene, which police described as a disturbance and subsequent fight as Mitchell was escorted out. The cause of the disturbance, according to a witness, was Mitchell allegedly walking into the women's bathroom.

Employees who were involved in the incident have been suspended, Hyatt said in a statement issued late Wednesday.

Giles told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that the family first reached out to Crump on Monday. Giles said Crump's decision to represent the family came after he reviewed media accounts and other information provided by the family.

"It is deeply troubling that we have lost another Black man in an encounter with security personnel, raising serious concerns about the use of force, lack of accountability, and absence of mental health considerations," Crump said in a statement to media Wednesday. "The circumstances surrounding Dvontaye’s death outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel are disturbing and as described by a witness, reminiscent of the killing of George Floyd. Dvontaye’s family is now left searching for answers and justice in the face of this tragic loss."

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Monday the preliminary cause of his Mitchell's death to be a homicide. The Milwaukee Police Department on Tuesday said it is investigating Mitchell’s death, that the cause of death is under investigation, that the Medical Examiners final report is still pending and it is “not a criminal investigation.”

“Security detained the individual until police arrived,” a Tuesday email from police said. “Upon arrival, the individual was unresponsive and despite lifesaving measures, the 43-year-old individual was pronounced deceased.”

Police declined to answer follow-up questions regarding the incident, citing it as an ongoing investigation.

Hyatt's statement continues:

"We extend our heartfelt condolences to all those who knew and loved Mr. Mitchell. We are working swiftly with the hotel's third-party operator, Aimbridge Hospitality, to understand the full extent of what transpired. We understand Aimbridge Hospitality is conducting a thorough investigation and has suspended the employees involved in the incident. The hotel is fully cooperating with the Milwaukee Police Department, and we do not have further details to provide at this time."

Mitchell’s family members said Tuesday they contacted Milwaukee police for information on his death but have yet to receive any updates on the circumstances surrounding his death.

Crump has represented families across the country on civil cases, seeking financial compensation for personal injury and civil rights violations, including the families of Tyre Nichols, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor. Louisville awarded Taylor's family $12 million in 2020 and Minneapolis awarded Floyd's family $27 million in 2021 .

Crump's previous Wisconsin-based cases

In Wisconsin, Crump represented the family of Keishon D. Thomas , who died in February 2022 while in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail. Two Milwaukee officers, Donald Krueger and Marco Lopez, faced felony charges in connection with Thomas' death, which resulted from an overdose.

Crump also represented the family of Joel Acevedo . Acevedo died during a fight with Milwaukee police officer Michael Mattioli in April 2020. Mattioli was acquitted in a homicide trial in November 2023.

Jacob Blake , who has sued the Kenosha police officer who shot him in the back, was represented by Crump. Blake survived the August 2020 shooting, but was left paralyzed. Blake was also represented in the case by B'Ivory Lamarr and the Chicago law firm Salvi, Scholstok & Pritchard.

The shooting touched off three days of violent and fatal protests in the city. The Kenosha police officer who shot Blake was cleared of any state criminal offense and did not face any federal criminal civil rights violations.

Jessica Van Egeren is a reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at jvanegeren@gannett.com. Chris Ramirez contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Civil rights attorney Ben Crump representing family of man who died outside Hyatt