By Alice Thomas-Tisdale

JA Publisher Emerita

Dvontaye Mitchell’s death in front of the downtown Milwaukee Hyatt Regency Hotel last week has sparked outrage and calls for accountability and transparency. He was 43 years old.

Milwaukee-based civil rights attorney William F. Sulton is demanding immediate disclosure of all videos taken by the hotel’s security cameras and responding city police officers’ body cameras.

Sulton is retained by Mr. Mitchell’s wife, DeAsia Harmon, to represent her and her daughter Morgan Mitchell.  Sulton said: “The currently available video shows a man being murdered. Immediate and full disclosure of all videos is required to determine the facts of this case. Not all four men involved in holding down Mr. Mitchell are private security guards. We need the videos to help us determine what led up to this tragedy. Clearly, the George Floyd case is not the first of this kind and is not the last.”

The hotel issued a statement saying: “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 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.”

Mr. Mitchell’s mother, Brenda Giles, contacted attorney Ben Crump to represent her and other members of Mitchell’s family.  On Monday, Crump held a press conference in Milwaukee. Dozens of community members attended, including members of Mitchell’s family.

Rev. Al Sharpton is scheduled to speak at Mitchell’s funeral. The funeral will be held on July 11 at the  Holy Redeemer Institutional Church Of God In Christ in Milwaukee.