Justice For D’Vontaye Mitchell: Murder Charges Referred In Black Man’s Milwaukee Hotel Death

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UPDATED: 7:15 p.m. ET

C riminal charges have been referred in the case of an unarmed Black man who died after a violent altercation with employees at a hotel in Milwaukee, according to a new report.

The Milwaukee Police Department referred murder charges for four people in the killing of D’Vontaye Mitchell, who died after being restrained by security guards on June 30. It is now up to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to bring or decline indictments, Fox 6 reported .

The murder charge referrals came hours after it was announced that the Hyatt Regency employees involved in Mitchell’s death were fired after the company that manages the hotel reviewed surveillance video.

“The conduct we saw from several associates on June 30 violated our policies and procedures, and does not reflect our values as an organization or the behaviors we expect from our associates,” a spokesperson for Aimbridge Hospitality said in an email to AP . “Following review of their actions, their employment has been terminated. We will continue our independent investigation and do everything we can to support law enforcement with their investigation into this tragic incident.”

The company did not disclose how many employees were terminated.

Mitchell’s family is demanding answers after the Black man was killed by security guards at a Wisconsin hotel last month.

On June 30, Dvontaye Mitchell was at the downtown Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee when authorities escorted him out of the hotel, claiming he “caused a disturbance,” according to CNN.

A video, which was posted to social media, shows four security guards pinning Dvontaye Mitchell to the ground while the Black man pleads with the guards, saying, “please” and “I’m sorry.

From CNN :

One of the guards, who appears to be White, can be heard saying “stay down,” and “stop fighting,” as the others, who appear to be people of color, hold Mitchell down. The same guard is heard calling out to witnesses, “This is what happens when you go into the lady’s room.” It’s unclear what led up to Mitchell’s encounter with the security guards, how long it took police officers to arrive on the scene, and what Mitchell was doing at the hotel.

By the time police arrived on the scene, Dvontaye Mitchell was unresponsive and pronounced dead, according to Milwaukee Police.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office initially ruled Mitchell’s death as a homicide, but the final manner is yet to be determined.

“The cause and manner of death is pending toxicology and further investigation,” Karen Domagalski, who works for the medical examiner’s office, said. “We do not have a timeline for when this case will be finalized.”

But Mitchell’s family says they are traumatized by his untimely death, saying that his children can’t even go to the grocery store without being reminded of their father’s death.

“We couldn’t even go into the grocery store with my daughter without her being afraid of the security standing at the door,” Mitchell’s widow, DeAsia Harmon told CNN. She said, “Is all security bad or just the ones who murdered my dad.’”

Family attorney Ben Crump called the incident “troubling” and “disturbing.”

“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. “The circumstances surrounding Dvontaye’s death outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel as disturbing and as described by a witness, reminiscent of the killing of Geroge Floyd. Dvontaye’s family is now left searching for answers and justice in the face of this tragic loss.”

He continued, “We demand a thorough and transparent investigation into the actions of the security guards involved in the incident. It is unacceptable that this case is not being considered a criminal investigation despite the fatal outcome, which the medical examiner considers a homicide. The fight for justice for Dvontaye Mitchell has just begun, and will not rest until those responsible are held accountable,” said Crump.

Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of NAN, also demanded justice for Mitchell’s family.

“We cannot watch Dvontaye Mitchell’s murder be washed out by the RNC coming to town, where they will solidify a nominee whose view of justice is pure brute force,” said Sharpton. “You cannot answer a Black man’s cries for help during a clear mental crisis with a knee on his back or his neck. People from all over the country will descend upon Milwaukee in the days to come, and it’s our mission to see the state of Black Americans and why Dvontaye’s family deserves justice.”

Sharpton will also deliver the eulogy for Dvontaye Mitchell in Milwaukee this Thursday as thousands descend upon the city for the start of the Republican National Convention next week.

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