One month after the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light-rail train, North Carolina lawmakers have responded with sweeping reforms to the state’s criminal justice system. On September 23, 2025, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 307—known as "Iryna’s Law"—by a decisive 81-31 vote, following a 28-8 Senate approval the previous evening. The bill now sits on Governor Josh Stein’s desk, awaiting his signature or veto, as debate continues to swirl around its provisions and implications.
Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on August 22, 2025, while riding the Blue Lynx Line in Charlotte. According to an affidavit obtained by ABC News, she had just finished work and texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon. Moments later, Decarlos Brown, a 34-year-old repeat offender with a long criminal record and a history of mental illness, attacked her with a knife in a chilling act captured by security cameras. Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene, and Brown was arrested shortly after, charged with first-degree murder and a federal count related to causing death on mass transportation—both potentially punishable by the death penalty.
The release of the attack’s video ignited public outrage, amplified by national figures like former President Donald Trump, who demanded the death penalty for Brown. In the wake of this outcry, lawmakers hastened to draft and pass legislation aimed at preventing similar tragedies. As reported by WTVD and ABC News, House Bill 307 seeks to toughen penalties for violent offenders, overhaul pretrial release conditions, and bolster protections for victims and communities.
At the heart of Iryna’s Law is the elimination of cashless bail for those charged with violent offenses. The bill creates a new category of “violent offenses” requiring GPS monitoring, house arrest, or secured bond for the accused. For a first arrest, only secure bond or house arrest with electronic monitoring is allowed. Repeat offenders face even stricter conditions: house arrest and monitoring for a second offense, and for those with three or more prior convictions within ten years, a secure bond plus house arrest and monitoring is mandatory. Judicial officials must now review and document a defendant’s criminal history before setting pretrial release conditions, and failure to do so could result in removal from office.
Republican leaders, including House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate Leader Phil Berger, have framed the bill as a necessary correction to what they describe as “catch-and-release practices” that let dangerous criminals roam free. “For too long, activist judges and magistrates have turned dangerous criminals loose, endangering lives and spreading chaos in our communities. That ends now,” Hall declared, echoing the sentiments of many North Carolinians. In a recent Carolina Journal Poll, 73.7% of respondents supported holding judges accountable when released offenders commit violent crimes, underscoring the bill’s popular backing.
“Iryna Zarutska’s murder is a tragic reminder of what’s at stake. That’s why we are delivering some of the strongest tough-on-crime reforms in North Carolina history,” Hall said, as cited by WTVD. Berger added, “For nearly two decades, judicial and administrative roadblocks have stopped true justice for victims, and it’s time for that to end.”
The bill’s supporters also highlight new protocols for addressing mental health in the justice system. If a defendant charged with a violent offense has been involuntarily committed within the past three years, or if a judicial official believes the individual is a danger to themselves or others, a mandatory mental health evaluation is now required. Should the evaluation support involuntary commitment, proceedings must be initiated. Eddie Caldwell, executive director of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, praised this step, saying, “House Bill 307 is a good first step in ensuring that those in our communities that are mentally ill are in mental hospitals and not in jails and those that are dangerous criminals are in jail and not out on the street.”
Yet, the bill’s critics—primarily Democrats—argue that the reforms are incomplete and overly punitive. They point out that the legislation provides no new funding for mental health services, additional law enforcement, or crisis responders, and does little to address the root causes of violent crime. “Tough on crime doesn’t only mean let’s pay attention to punishment after the fact,” said Rep. Marcia Morey, a former judge from Durham, during House debate. “We grieve the murder. It was senseless, it was horrible. But what you are voting on today does nothing to take it back or would have prevented it. Let’s get smart on crime.”
Senate Democrats went further, with some walking out in protest during the vote on the bill’s most controversial provision: a measure to revive the death penalty in North Carolina. The state has not carried out an execution in nearly 20 years due to ongoing legal challenges and a de facto judicial moratorium. Under Iryna’s Law, lethal injection is established as the primary method of execution, but if that is blocked by court order, alternative methods such as the electric chair or firing squad could be implemented, with the Department of Adult Correction directed to adopt new protocols as needed. The bill also sets deadlines for death penalty appeals, requiring that filings older than 24 months be scheduled for hearing by December 2026 and heard by December 2027.
Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, criticized the legislation, saying, “Their name deserves dignity, not weaponization. It’s not about politics, it’s about respect.” Criminal justice advocates like Dawn Blagrove, Executive Director of Emancipate NC, expressed concerns about the death penalty amendment: “We don’t need to be speeding up the process of killing people. We need to be slowing that down to ensure that we’re getting it right.” She noted that “there has not been an execution in North Carolina in 20 years. And what we have not seen is a violent criminal run amok because they have no fear of the death penalty.”
Beyond immediate reforms, the bill directs the North Carolina Collaboratory to study the intersection of mental health and the justice system for both adults and juveniles, and to evaluate the availability of house arrest and alternative execution methods. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, responding to the tragedy, announced immediate increases in security on commuter trains. Still, some local leaders and advocates remain skeptical that these measures alone will prevent future violence.
As Governor Stein reviews the bill, he faces a pivotal decision. A spokesperson told ABC11, “Our office is reviewing the bill. The governor will always do everything in his power to keep people safe.” Stein, a former attorney general, has previously voiced support for some pretrial reforms but has not indicated whether he will sign Iryna’s Law as written.
For now, North Carolina stands at a crossroads, balancing the urgent demand for public safety with deeper questions about justice, mental health, and the best path forward in the wake of unspeakable loss.
