D'Vontaye Mitchell funeral; celebration of life, appeal for justice
MILWAUKEE - Powerful words were spoken Thursday, July 11 at the funeral of D'Vontaye Mitchell at Holy Redeemer Church in Milwaukee.
Mitchell died more than a week ago after an altercation with hotel security at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Milwaukee. The employees involved in the altercation have been fired.
Mitchell was a son, father and husband. Family and friends said their final goodbyes Thursday – offering songs of hope and words of encouragement.
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"I know he seeing everything that we doing for him and he smiling down," said Darrell Giles, Mitchell's brother.
Celebration of life
Mitchell's mother cried for justice at the celebration of life.
D'Vontaye Mitchell
"We want justice for D’Vontaye. That’s what we want and we gone fight. We are not going to give up," said Brenda Giles, Mitchell's mother.
Mitchell, 43, died on June 30. Graphic video shows security personnel at the Hyatt Regency pinning Mitchell down.
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"My heart is so heavy. I just want to remember the best parts of him," said DeAsia Harmon, widow.
D'Vontaye Mitchell funeral, Milwaukee
"I want you to know your daddy was somebody," said Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights activist, who delivered the eulogy at Holy Redeemer. "You should not lose just your job when D’Vontaye lost his life. What they did was a crime and criminals need to be prosecuted."
Seeking justice
Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump believe the Mitchell case mirrors the death of George Floyd.
"We are here because of the unnecessary, unjustifiable, unconstitutional killing of D’Vontaye Mitchell by private citizens. George Floyd was killed by police. Breonna was killed by police. But these were private citizens. They trying to treat like the police," Crump said.
Ben Crump
Crump sat down exclusively with FOX6 News following the funeral to talk next steps in the walk for justice.
"We now know those employees have been fired. What else would you like to see happen to them?" asked FOX6's Bria Jones.
"Well, obviously you want justice. I mean you killed a human being life and it was senseless. I just don’t understand why people don’t see the humanity in people," Crump said.