Milwaukee hotel staff face murder charges in man's death

Four hotel employees who allegedly pinned a man to the ground after he behaved erratically in a Hyatt Regency lobby in the US state of Wisconsin are facing murder charges.

D’Vontaye Mitchell, 43, ran into a women's bathroom before staff dragged him outside, beat him and held him face down on the ground for eight or nine minutes, according to court documents.

Mitchell was unresponsive when police arrived at the scene in Milwaukee on 30 June. He was later pronounced dead.

He died of “restraint asphyxia and toxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine”, found a post-mortem examination that also noted he was morbidly obese.

Milwaukee County district attorney’s office issued arrest warrants on Tuesday for the four now-former employees at the hotel.

They are two security guards, Todd Alan Erickson, 60, and Brandon LaDaniel Turner, 35, who was off duty at the time of the incident; as well as Devin Johnson-Carson, 23, a front desk agent; and Herbert Williamson, 53, a door attendant, according to court documents.

If convicted, they each would face up to 15 years and nine months in prison.

The incident unfolded when Mitchell entered the hotel and began running around, attempting to hide in places.

He went into the gift shop, then a women's bathroom, where he tried to lock the door. Mr Turner told police he heard women screaming in the toilet.

Video surveillance footage showed hotel workers forcing him out of the bathroom and dragging him outside through the hotel lobby.

Two of them repeatedly struck Mitchell and another kicked him, according to the court documents. They are apparently heard in a bystander’s mobile phone footage telling him to "stay down" and "stop fighting”.

Mr Erickson told investigators that Mitchell had tried to bite him.

Mitchell is heard saying he is sorry during the struggle, according to audio from a video taken by an onlooker.

One of the employees said Mitchell was having difficulty breathing and had been pleading for help, according to the charge-sheet.

Ben Crump, a lawyer representing the family, said: "Mitchell was in the midst of a mental health crisis and, instead of abiding by their duty to protect and serve, the security officers and other Hyatt staff used excessive force that inflicted injury resulting in death.”

Mitchell's widow, Deasia Harmon, told reporters on Tuesday she was "grateful" for the charges.

"I just want everyone to be held accountable," she said.

The company that runs the hotel, Aimbridge Hospitality, has previously said several employees were fired over Mitchell’s death.