On October 3, 2025, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein signed into law a sweeping set of criminal justice reforms known as "Iryna’s Law." The legislation, which emerged in the aftermath of the tragic stabbing death of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train, has ignited debate across the state about public safety, judicial discretion, and the future of capital punishment.
The murder of 23-year-old Zarutska on August 22, 2025, at Charlotte’s South End tram station sent shockwaves through North Carolina and beyond. Zarutska, who had fled the war in Ukraine, was killed in what authorities described as a random attack. The accused, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., had a lengthy criminal record, including more than a dozen prior arrests and over five years served for violent robbery. According to court records cited by Fox News and the Associated Press, Brown had been released on a misdemeanor charge without bond earlier in the year, after a magistrate allowed his release on a written promise to appear in court.
The incident quickly became a flashpoint in the state’s ongoing debate over bail reform and public safety. Republican lawmakers, joined by some Democrats, pushed for urgent legislative action, arguing that existing policies had allowed a dangerous repeat offender back onto the streets. As Fox News reported, the new law tightens background checks before offenders can be released on bail, bans cashless bail for numerous violent crimes and repeat offenders, and further limits the authority of magistrates and judges to grant pretrial release. Defendants must now undergo mental health evaluations before being considered for bail, especially if there is evidence of a recent mental health crisis or involuntary commitment within the past three years.
Governor Stein, a Democrat and former state attorney general, described his decision to sign the bill as a difficult but necessary step. "[This law] alerts the judiciary to take a special look at people who may pose unusual risks of violence before determining their bail. That’s a good thing," Stein said in a video statement, as quoted by Fox News and the North State Journal. However, Stein also voiced strong reservations about the legislation, criticizing it for not focusing enough on the actual threat posed by individuals rather than their financial ability to post bail. "I’m troubled by its lack of ambition or vision. It simply does not do enough to keep you safe," he said, urging lawmakers to return with a more comprehensive public safety package.
The law’s passage was not without controversy. A last-minute amendment, which opens the door to execution by firing squad should lethal injection be deemed unconstitutional or unavailable, drew Stein’s sharp rebuke. "There will be no firing squads in North Carolina during my time as governor," he declared, calling the idea "barbaric." Nevertheless, the law does set in motion the possibility of restarting executions in North Carolina for the first time since 2006, requiring that death-row inmate appeals be heard and reviewed by courts by the end of 2027. The state currently has 122 inmates on death row, and the expedited appeals process could accelerate their cases.
Republican leaders in the General Assembly, including House Speaker Destin Hall and Rep. Tricia Cotham, celebrated the bill’s enactment as a victory for public safety and accountability. "Finally, we are getting dangerous criminals off our streets so we can make sure no one else suffers the heartbreak that Iryna Zarutska’s family endured," Cotham said in a statement. Hall echoed these sentiments on social media, calling the law "critical legislation that makes our state safer by ending cashless bail and getting career criminals off the street." He also highlighted that the law provides additional prosecutors for Mecklenburg County, which he said would give local law enforcement more tools to fight violent crime.
Yet, the response was far from unanimous. Many Democrats and criminal justice advocates questioned whether the law would truly address the root causes of violence. During legislative debate, critics argued that the reforms did not include sufficient funding for mental health services or violence prevention programs. Governor Stein himself called for more robust mental health programs, full Medicaid funding, and measures to keep firearms out of the hands of those who are violent or dangerously mentally ill. "We can respect people’s Second Amendment rights while also ensuring that anyone who is violent or dangerously mentally ill does not have access to guns," Stein said, referencing a recent shooting at a waterfront bar in southeastern North Carolina that left three dead and several injured.
The law’s journey to Stein’s desk was marked by political tension and public scrutiny. Presented to the governor on September 23, Stein waited the full ten days allowed under statute before signing, prompting criticism from Republican leaders who accused him of dragging his feet. House Speaker Hall and Senate Leader Phil Berger both publicly pressured Stein to act, while NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons claimed the governor’s delay showed "he cannot be trusted to do the right thing for North Carolina families." U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan also weighed in, saying, "Stein dragged his feet for nine days, but Iryna’s Law is finally signed."
The law’s supporters point to the bipartisan nature of its passage in the General Assembly as evidence of broad concern for public safety. While Republicans are one seat short of a veto-proof majority, the bill received enough Democratic support to make a potential veto unlikely to stand. Still, the North Carolina NAACP chapter condemned Stein’s decision, stating that he "chose cruelty over justice, and the legislators from both parties who pushed it forward are equally responsible for this shameful failure of leadership."
The case of Decarlos Brown Jr. remains ongoing. He is charged with both first-degree murder in state court and a federal count related to Zarutska’s death, with both charges carrying the possibility of the death penalty. The motive for the killing remains unclear, though Brown reportedly suffered from mental health problems and had no prior connection to Zarutska.
As North Carolina prepares for its next legislative session on October 20, the debate over Iryna’s Law is far from settled. The measure stands as a testament to the state’s struggle to balance swift justice and public safety with concerns over fairness, mental health, and the reach of government power. Whether the law will serve as a model for other states or become a cautionary tale remains to be seen, but for now, the memory of Iryna Zarutska and the calls for reform she inspired continue to echo throughout North Carolina’s halls of power.
