Oklahoma City Man Admits Racist Attack

OKLAHOMA CITY – A brutal act of racially motivated violence landed Braden Birdsong, 28, of Oklahoma City, in federal court today, where he confessed to a federal hate crime. The incident, which unfolded on August 25, 2023, saw Birdsong savagely attack D.G., a Black man, while D.G. was simply doing his job.

According to court documents and testimony given before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard M. Jones, Birdsong targeted D.G. as he cleaned the parking lot of an Oklahoma City restaurant. The assault wasn’t a random act of violence; it was fueled by hate. Birdsong unleashed a barrage of racial slurs and anti-Black rhetoric while repeatedly punching D.G. in the head.

The victim, identified only as D.G., sustained bodily injuries as a result of the relentless attack. Birdsong, in a chilling admission during the court hearing, explicitly stated he assaulted D.G. because of his race and color. This wasn’t a crime of passion, it was a calculated act of bigotry.

Federal prosecutors are seeking a maximum sentence for Birdsong, who now faces up to 10 years behind bars and a subsequent 3 years of supervised release. Judge Jones will weigh the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors before delivering the final verdict at a future hearing. Birdsong remains in federal custody pending that sentencing.

The case was jointly announced by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to aggressively pursuing perpetrators of hate crimes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry, alongside Trial Attorneys Laura Gilson and Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case. This conviction sends a clear message: hate-fueled violence will not be tolerated, and those who perpetrate it will be held accountable under federal law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.

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