Republicans urge removal of judge who gave Iryna Zarutska’s suspected killer cashless bail
Republican lawmakers are pushing to have the North Carolina judge who released the violent criminal accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska removed from the bench.
Ten North Carolina House GOP members have signed a letter insisting on formal proceedings to remove Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes for her “reckless” decision to release Decarlos Brown Jr. on a cashless bail despite being aware of his lengthy criminal history and mental health issues, Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC) posted on X Wednesday
The letter, addressed to Chief District Court Judge Roy Wiggins, claimed that Stokes’ ruling to allow Brown Jr. to go free “based solely on his ‘written promise’ to appear for a future court date” following his January arrest had “devastating consequences.”
“Ms. Zarutska’s murder was not only a profound personal tragedy but also a direct result of a failure of judicial responsibility,” the letter read.
“By releasing a repeat violent offender on nothing more than his written promise to appear, Magistrate Stokes displayed a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
The letter was co-signed by Virginia Foxx, David Rouzer, Richard Hudson, Chuck Edwards, Gregory F. Murphy, Addison P. McDowell, Mark Harris, Pat Harrigan and Brad Knott.
Moore, who is leading the GOP members’ charge to have Stokes removed, said they are seeking to hold the judge accountable.
“This tragedy was preventable. There must be accountability. North Carolinians deserve better,” the Republican lawmaker wrote on X.
Brown Jr., 34, was arrested at least 14 times in North Carolina for crimes ranging from assault and firearms possession to felony robbery and larceny dating back to 2007.
That included a stint in jail for armed robbery in 2014, from which he was later set free in September 2020, then thrown behind bars again five months later for assaulting his sister.
Brown Jr. was most recently arrested for false 911 calls, bizarrely claiming he was being controlled by “man-made” devices, then dialing again in anger while police were still on scene, leading to his arrest.
However, Stokes released Brown Jr. on cashless bail two days later, requiring him to sign a written promise to appear in court for his next scheduled date.
While free on the cashless bail on Aug. 22, Brown Jr. viciously stabbed Zarutska in an unprovoked sneak attack as she rode the Charlotte light rail home from her job at Zepeddie’s Pizza.
Horrifying video shows Brown Jr. seated on the train before the 23-year-old refugee boards and takes a seat in front of him.
As Zarutska is scrolling on her phone, Brown Jr. is seen unfolding a pocket knife before looming over her and making several fatal stabs into her neck.
He is currently being held without bond in the Mecklenburg County Jail on murder charges.
Zarutska had taken refuge in the US back in 2022 after Russia invaded her home country.
The accused killer’s mother said her son battled schizophrenia — and should never have been turned loose on the streets.
Brown Jr.’s brother, Jeremiah, told The Post the justice system could have “prevented” the murder and that the system should have never “just let him walk free especially because of mental issues.”
US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday that the caught-on-tape murderer has been hit with a federal criminal charge for killing the “young woman living the American dream.”
“Her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” Bondi said.
The slaughter of Zarutska has drawn national attention, including from the White House, with President Trump calling Brown Jr. a “lunatic.”
“There are evil people, and we have to confront that. I just give my love and hope to the family of the young woman who was stabbed this morning or last night in Charlotte by a madman,” Trump said.
with Post wires