A San Joaquin County, California, Superior Court judge sentenced Michael Christopher Pulliam to five years in state prison for the racially motivated beating of an African-American woman.

     Pulliam, 42, of French Camp, was sentenced on December 17, 2007, after admitting in court that he committed the attack because of the victim's race.  He pleaded guilty to multiple charges including assault likely to cause great bodily injury with a felony hate crime enhancement.

     Pulliam was arrested on July 2, 2007, after attacking an 18-year-old African-American woman.  According to witnesses, Pulliam first yelled racial slurs at the woman as he saw her walking across the street.  He then ran up to her, hit her in the face, knocked her unconscious, and continued to beat her after she fell to the ground. Witnesses identified Pulliam as the attacker.  During his arrest, Pulliam purportedly resisted and threatened the officers.  

     Local residents allege that Pulliam is a member of the racist prison gang Aryan Brotherhood, and that he has a white supremacist tattoo on his leg.  According to authorities, it was Pulliam's tattoos that first led investigators to suspect the attack was race related.