Brad Branch

Brad Eugene Branch (born c. 1960^[1]) is an American former Branch Davidian who was charged and convicted of aiding and abetting voluntary manslaughter of federal agents during the 1993 Waco siege and weapons charges.^[1][2][3] He was sentenced to ten years in prison for the voluntary manslaughter charge and thirty years for the weapons charges.^[4][5] Originally, the charge of carrying a firearm during a violent crime was based on a conspiracy to murder charge on which Branch and other Davidians were acquitted,^[6] but federal prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Walter Smith to reinstate the weapons charges, which he did.^[7] The Branch Davidians, including Brad Branch, attempted to appeal the charges, but the appeals were turned down in 1997.^[8][9] The United States Supreme Court agreed to hear appellate arguments from the Branch Davidians including Branch in 2000.^[10] In response to the Supreme Court's ruling that Smith overstepped his power in his sentencing, he reduced his and other Davidians' sentences to five years for the weapons charges.^[11][12][13]

During the February 28, 1993, shootout that began the siege, Branch reportedly shot and killed a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agent, shouting that he "got one!"^[14] Branch Davidian Marjorie Thomas testified that she heard Branch and Kevin Whitecliff, another Branch Davidian, admitting they shot at agents during the shootout.^[15][16] Another Davidian, Victorine Hollingsworth, testified she also heard Branch and Livingstone Fagan discuss firing on agents on February 28, 1993.^[17] After the shootout, he, Whitecliff, and Oliver Gyarfas were sent out of the compound to dig a grave for Peter Gent, who died in the shootout.^[18] Branch had indicated to federal authorities that he wished to exit Mount Carmel Center during the siege on March 11, 1993.^[19] He left the compound with Whitecliff with permission from Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on March 19, 1993.^[20][21][22] The only reason that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received for why they left when they did was because before then "it wasn't time".^[23] While jailed after leaving the compound, Branch told NBC that David Koresh sought to challenge other Christian leaders to see who can "reveal the book", meaning the Bible.^[24] Also while in jail, Brad Branch told CNN that the April 19 fire that destroyed the Mount Carmel compound was a "systematic assassination by the FBI to eliminate all of the crime scene".^[25] Branch soon after the siege also believed that Koresh was not responsible for the fire.^[26]

Branch was released from prison in 2006 and lived in the San Antonio area as of 2012.^[27] Branch was an aircraft electrician from San Antonio, Texas, before becoming a Branch Davidian.^[28]

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