MILWAUKEE — The four former hotel employees charged in the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell outside a downtown Milwaukee hotel last year will not spend any time in prison.
Each of them received their sentence separately in front of a circuit court judge on Wednesday.
Security guard Todd Erickson had a four-year sentence stayed, including two years in prison and two years probation. Erickson will not serve any prison time if he meets the terms of his probation. Prosecutors argued he was the most culpable in using excessive force that ultimately led to Mitchell’s death outside the Hyatt Regency in June 2024.
Security guard Brandon Turner had a two-year sentence in prison stayed in exchange for 12 months of probation.
Bellhop Herbert Williamson was credited for already serving 10 days in jail and will serve no additional time.
Front desk assistant Devin Johnson-Carson was credited for serving four days in jail with no additional time. The judge also granted Johnson-Carson the opportunity to seek expungement because of his young age, lack of criminal history, and behavior during supervision.
“People here are only getting probation and are free to go, and they partook in murdering my husband,” Mitchell’s wife Deasia Harmon said during sentencing. “If it was Mr. Johnson-Carson whose life was taken that day, his family would want more.”
“I don’t feel like justice was served here to today” Mitchell’s mother Brenda Giles said. “It was some BS today.”
All four men initially pled not guilty to felony murder charges, but eventually reached plea deals with prosecutors.
Surveillance video showed all four men on top of D’Vontaye Mitchell while he pleaded for help on the sidewalk outside the hotel. Mitchell’s death was ruled a homicide.
