North Carolina legislators approved a sweeping criminal justice bill named “Iryna’s Law” after the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train in August. The bill now heads to Gov. Josh Stein.
According to the reports, surveillance video showed a man later identified as DeCarlos Brown Jr. attacking Zarutska. Brown is now facing state and federal charges, including first-degree murder.
Authorities have arrested Brown more than a dozen times and most recently released him earlier this year on a misdemeanor without requiring him to post bond, according to CBS/AP. The crime drew national attention, with President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers pointing to the case as an example of failures in bail policies.
What does the legislation do?
House Bill 307, passed by the Senate 28–8 and the House 81–31, bars unsecured (cashless) release in specified “violent offenses,” tightens judicial discretion on pretrial release with required written findings, and requires judges and magistrates to document reasons for release decisions on new AOC forms. It also authorizes house arrest with GPS monitoring in violent cases and, if imposed, requires a secured bond.
The bill also mandates mental health evaluations for defendants charged with a violent offense who have been involuntarily committed within the past three years or when a judicial official has cause to believe the defendant poses a danger.
The measure includes new rules for capital cases. Capital reviews generally must occur within 24 months of judgment absent extraordinary cause; appeals or motions older than 24 months must be scheduled by Dec. 1, 2026, and heard by Dec. 1, 2027. It also adds committing a capital felony on public transportation as an aggravating factor in death penalty eligibility.
An amendment from Senate leader Phil Berger directs the Department of Adult Correction to select a new execution method if lethal injection is ruled unconstitutional or if the state can’t obtain drugs, with the goal of resuming executions paused since 2006.
How are lawmakers responding?
Supporters said the bill addresses judicial failures that allowed repeat offenders back on the streets.
“For too long, activist judges and magistrates have turned dangerous criminals loose,” House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said.
Rep. Brenden Jones, R-Tabor City, added that the law “strengthens protections for our citizens and restores accountability in our courts.”
Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Republican who represents Charlotte, told colleagues the attack on Zarutska “was preventable” and that what Republicans call “catch-and-release practices for violent offenders will end today.”
Republican leaders framed the bill as a means of restoring public safety.
“Iryna should still be alive,” Berger said. “We cannot let North Carolina be held hostage by woke, weak-on-crime policies and court officials who prioritize criminals over justice for victims.”
What are the criticisms?
Opponents, including Democrats and defense attorneys, said it emphasizes punishment over prevention. Democratic Rep. Marcia Morey, a former judge, said the measure does little to expand mental health services or crisis response. Democratic Rep. Vernetta Alston argued that reviving firing squads or electrocution would be “risky and have the potential to be extremely gruesome.”
Former prosecutor Matthew Mangino called the legislation “a knee-jerk reaction to a tragic crime” and questioned whether cash bail ensures public safety, according to Newsweek.
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