A Democrat lawmaker in North Carolina is facing fierce backlash after dismissing any link between the state’s bail system and the murder of a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman.
Iryna Zarutska’s accused murderer, Decarlos Brown, had a long and violent criminal history but was repeatedly put back on the streets after multiple arrests.
Rep. Marcia Morey, a longtime Democrat and former judge, sparked outrage after claiming there was “no correlation” between the brutal killing of Zarutska and the fact that Brown had been arrested and released at least 14 times before murdering the innocent young woman in an unprovoked attack.
During a legislative session while defending North Carolina’s bail policies, Morey said:
“But don’t correlate what happened in January and a magistrate who set a bail according to guidelines to what happened in August.
“There is no correlation,” she added.
Her remarks quickly drew sharp criticism from Republicans.
Victims’ rights advocates argue that the murder highlights the dangers of “revolving door” justice.
The cashless bail system allows repeat offenders to cycle in and out of jail with little accountability.
Brown is described by authorities as a violent career criminal.
He brutally stabbed Zarutska to death on a Charlotte light rail train on August 22.
Investigators called the murder a random attack.
He has since been charged with first-degree murder.
Senate Leader Phil Berger, a Republican representing Reidsville, called the tragedy proof that lenient bail policies are endangering public safety.
“Iryna should still be alive,” Berger said.
“She should be thriving and enjoying time with her family and friends.
“We cannot let North Carolina be held hostage by woke, weak-on-crime policies and court officials who prioritize criminals over justice for victims.
“We are also taking steps to revive the death penalty for those who commit the most heinous crimes.”
Republicans say the case demonstrates exactly why dangerous offenders should not be granted release under bail reform policies, which were designed to reduce jail populations.
Advocates of bail reform, however, maintain that the system unfairly penalizes poor defendants who cannot afford release, insisting that wealth should not determine who remains behind bars.
For Zarutska’s grieving family, and many North Carolinians, the debate has become deeply personal.
Families of victims argue that when violent criminals are given chance after chance, the consequences can be deadly.
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