Student accused of Cal Poly hate crime pleads not guilty

A Cal Poly student accused of sending an online death threat that included a racial slur to a student leader of the university’s diversity group pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony charge in San Luis Obispo Superior Court.

Charles Raymond Bird, 20, faces up to six years in prison if convicted of making a criminal threat — which includes an enhancement for allegedly being a hate crime — after a message was sent Dec. 1 via Facebook to fellow student Matt Klepfer, a leader with student group SLO Solidarity.

SLO Solidarity is pushing for campus change to create a more inclusive environment for minorities.

Bird used the moniker Mordecai Shekelburg and otherwise tried to cloak his identity when he sent the threat that concluded with an anti-Semitic slur, according to prosecutors.

“The day of the rope is coming soon, and you people will be the first to go,” the message read. “If you don’t like how it is in this town, you can go somewhere else. We have a nice thing going here, and if you f--- with that you’re going to have some angry young white man on your hands.”

Bird is due back in court Feb. 23.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Student accused of Cal Poly hate crime pleads not guilty."