North Carolina House passes "Iryna's Law" in honor of Ukrainian refugee killed in Charlotte
The initiative is named after Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old who was fatally stabbed to death last month on a Charlotte light rail train in a brutal attack that sparked nationwide outrage.
Murder of Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Metro
The North Carolina House of Representatives approved this Tuesday House Bill 307, also known as "Iryna's Law," which aims to amend the law related to pretrial release conditions for those who have been "charged with a violent felony." The initiative is named after Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old who was fatally stabbed last month on a Charlotte city light rail in a brutal attack that not only sparked nationwide outrage, but also put the spotlight on justice weaknesses in both states and cities governed by Democrats.
The bill was described by Republicans in North Carolina as "bipartisan, veto-proof majority". A few hours earlier, that state's Senate also approved the measure, which will now go to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein's desk for consideration.
At a press conference, the speaker of the North Carolina, Destin Hall, commented that what the Ukrainian refugee suffered at the hands of the criminal Decarlos Brown was something that could not happen again, as he was a violent repeat offender with a numerous history of mental health problems. He also detailed that the measure seeks to toughen prison sentences and strengthen protections not only for victims, but also for their families.
"For too long, activist judges and magistrates have turned dangerous criminals loose, endangering lives and spreading chaos in our communities. That ends now. 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 told reporters.
"Iryna's Law prevents violent offenders from walking free"
For his part, Republican Representative Brian Echeverria commented that the measure was as important as it was necessary. "The nation watched Iryna's life be murderously taken. We shouldn't have needed that tragedy to enact common-sense legislation that helps keep violent people off the streets," he said.
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