“Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied”: Video Shows Hotel Guards Kill D’Vontaye Mitchell, Yet No Arrests

AMY GOODMAN: Ben Crump, before you go, we wanted to follow up on another case you’re involved in: in Milwaukee, D’Vontaye Mitchell, the 43-year-old Black father who died last month after he was violently pinned to the ground by four security guards outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel, just a few minutes where thousands of Republicans would then gather for the Republican National Convention, footage showing security guards pressing him on his stomach with their hands and knees as he’s heard crying out for help. The incident came after Mitchell was pushed out of the hotel. A witness reported seeing one of the guards also striking him on the head with an object. The Medical Examiner’s Office determining the preliminary cause of death as homicide, but the investigation is ongoing.

Last week, when we were in Milwaukee covering the RNC, I spoke to a man who witnessed Mitchell’s killing. Milwaukee artist and photographer Nick Hansen said he was sitting in his car parked near the Hyatt when he started to hear people shouting, listed for 10 to 15 minutes, then drove closer.

NICK HANSEN: At that moment, I saw at least three security guards from the Hyatt Regency on top of D’Vontaye Mitchell. I could barely see D’Vontaye Mitchell because of the men that were standing on top. As I pull up, as I’m sitting in my car, seeing these men on top of this victim —

AMY GOODMAN: They were kneeling on him?

NICK HANSEN: Yes. There was an older, silver-haired man that was screaming, “That’s what you get for being in the women’s room!” And I was like — and I’m thinking to myself, “What is going on?” in the quick moments that I’m observing this. They were kneeling and pushing him down. He was — the victim was lying on his belly, and the security were either kneeling like on his back or holding his neck down, and then there were a couple maybe holding his legs down or his lower back down.

AMY GOODMAN: So, that was witness Nick Hansen. We only have a minute, Ben Crump. You’re representing D’Vontaye’s family, as well. Talk about your demands. Last week, there was a major protest right up to the Hyatt Regency demanding justice in this case.

BENJAMIN CRUMP: Yeah, Amy, it’s just inexplicable to us. You have a video of a man being killed. You have witnesses who have given statements. But yet you’re saying you still have to investigate? Why is it different when it’s a Black victim laying dead on the ground? You know, if the roles were reversed and D’Vontaye Mitchell allegedly did something like this and you had video and statements, he would have been arrested day one, charged and sitting in a jail cell, probably being held without bail. So, why is it different when it’s a Black victim? I mean, how much longer do we have to take to finish the investigation? Justice delayed is justice denied. Justice for D’Vontaye Mitchell. Justice for Sonya Massey.

AMY GOODMAN: And the significance of Kamala Harris weighing in with a letter, Ben Crump? We have 20 seconds.

BENJAMIN CRUMP: Yeah. She is the presumptive nominee from the Democratic Party. I think it’s huge, her voice as vice president to say justice for Sonya Massey, justice for D’Vontaye Mitchell. It matters.

AMY GOODMAN: Ben Crump, civil rights attorney representing the families of D’Vontaye Mitchell and Sonya Massey.

That does it for our show. Democracy Now! is currently accepting applications for director of development to lead our fundraising team. Learn more and apply at democracynow.org. Democracy Now! is produced with Mike Burke, Renée Feltz, Deena Guzder, Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Messiah Rhodes, Nermeen Shaikh, María Taracena, Tami Woronoff, Charina Nadura, Sam Alcoff, Tey-Marie Astudillo, John Hamilton, Robby Karran, Hany Massoud, Hana Elias. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González, for another edition of Democracy Now!