North Carolina approves Iryna's Law after refugee stabbing on Charlotte transit

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina legislature gave final approval Tuesday to a sweeping criminal-justice package known as Iryna's Law, named for a Ukrainian refugee stabbed on Charlotte’s light-rail system. The Republican-penned measure would curb cash bail in many cases, require more defendants to undergo mental-health evaluations, and include provisions that could restart executions in the state. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, who has signaled support for some pretrial reforms but had not announced a decision.

Zarutska, 23, was killed Aug. 22 on a Charlotte transit train. The attack’s suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., had been arrested more than a dozen times and was released earlier this year on a misdemeanor count without bond. He is charged with first-degree murder in state court and with a federal count in connection with Zarutska’s death; both crimes can be punishable by the death penalty. Brown’s mother told media outlets that her son has schizophrenia, and prosecutors have said the case underscores questions about release practices in violent-crime cases.

During two hours of House debate, Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham argued the bill would end catch-and-release practices that allowed violent offenders to walk free. “This heinous act was preventable,” she said as House members debated the measure. Unlike Monday's party-line Senate vote, more than a third of House Democrats present joined all Republicans in voting for the measure Tuesday. Stein’s office said he was reviewing the bill, and it was not immediately clear whether he would sign or veto.

Key provisions include eliminating cash bail for many offenses, limiting magistrates’ and judges’ discretion in pretrial release decisions, and outlining when offenders should be examined for possible involuntary commitment. The bill also directs pretrial-release standards and mental-health evaluations in more cases than current practice. Democrats said the measure falls short on funding for mental-health services, police overtime, crisis responders, and related supports. Democratic Rep. Marcia Morey of Durham, a former judge, said: “Tough on crime doesn’t only mean let’s pay attention to punishment after the fact. We grieve the murder, but what you are voting on today does nothing to take it back or prevent it.” Democratic Rep. Vernetta Alston of Charlotte added that even with a death-penalty emphasis, the bill risks heavy, real-world consequences without robust safeguards.

On the death-penalty front, Senate leader Phil Berger offered an amendment directing the state Department of Adult Correction to seek another form of execution if lethal injection is declared unconstitutional or unavailable, potentially including firing squads or electrocution. Berger argued the change would remove a chokepoint that has stalled capital punishment for years. Democrats criticized the amendment as cynical and risky, arguing that the state should focus on systemic reforms rather than expanding the methods used to end a life. North Carolina has more than 120 people on death row, but no execution has occurred since 2006.

The bill’s passage comes as lawmakers grapple with a budget standoff and a looming funding gap for Medicaid. The new fiscal year began July 1, but state law and a stopgap spending measure have kept government operating. The state Department of Health and Human Services warned that the stopgap’s $600 million in additional Medicaid funds still leaves a $319 million shortfall and could trigger cuts to Medicaid provider reimbursement rates on Oct. 1 unless more money is approved. House and Senate Republicans approved separate measures to direct more Medicaid funding, but negotiations remained unresolved. The Senate plan includes funding previously agreed upon for a standalone children’s hospital near Raleigh and rural health care. Lawmakers do not plan to reconvene until Oct. 20.

Observers note the vote margins and the presence of bipartisan support for parts of the package signal potential for an override if Stein signs, though that outcome would depend on the governor’s stance and any amendments. The bill, which ties together pretrial reforms, mental-health provisions, and capital-punishment considerations, marks a rare intersection of crime policy, mental health policy, and the state’s long-running capital-punishment debate. It now awaits Stein’s decision, with supporters urging him to sign while critics argue for a more expansive mental-health and public-safety funding approach.