Security guard pleads guilty in D'Vontaye Mitchell's death a Milwaukee Hyatt
Brandon LaDaniel Turner, 35, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony murder as a party to a crime, online court records show.
More: What we know and what we don't know about man who died outside Hyatt in downtown Milwaukee
Turner was one of four men who worked at the Hyatt and, according to prosecutors, was involved in the June 30 beating death of D'Vontaye Mitchell, 43.
The others charged were Todd Erickson, 60, Herbert T. Williamson, 52, both of Milwaukee, and Devin W. Johnson-Carson, 24, of South Milwaukee.
Erickson and Turner worked at the hotel as security guards. Williamson was employed at the Hyatt as a bell driver door attendant. Johnson-Carson was a front desk agent.
Aimbridge Hospitality, a third-party operator that manages the Hyatt, fired all four of the men and announced a settlement with Mitchell's family roughly two months after his death. Terms weren't disclosed.
Turner agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the case and to testify against the other three co-defendants. In exchange, the state is recommending Turner be given probation, according to the agreement.
Circuit Court Judge David Swanson allowed for the $5,000 bond that Turner posted in August to be continued until he is sentenced on Sept. 3.
Plea hearings for Williamson and Johnson-Carson have been scheduled for March 13 and March 20, respectively.
Last month, Erickson requested a trial date. Jury selection in his case is slated to get underway Aug. 11, but a final pre-trial hearing also has been scheduled for June 27.
More: Milwaukee County DA charges 4 with felony murder in D'Vontaye Mitchell's death
The circumstances surrounding Mitchell's death drew comparisons from many to that of George Floyd, a Black man who was held down by Minneapolis police until he died in 2020.
They also became the catalyst of many demonstrations in the summer, including one during the Republican National Convention, which Milwaukee hosted.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner determined Mitchell had drugs in his system and that he died from restraint asphyxia.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Guard pleads guilty in D'Vontaye Mitchell's death a Milwaukee Hyatt
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