NC Judge Who Released Iryna Zarutska's Killer Faces Removal As Thousands Sign Petition for Her Ouster

One of the most heinous killings in recent history was the August stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska. Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, was headed home after her shift at a pizza parlor in Charlotte, North Carolina, when she boarded Charlotte's light rail system. Unfortunately, she sat down in front of Decarlos Brown Jr., who stabbed her to death for no apparent reason. Zarutska died on the floor of the train. As in many cities, Americans are fed up with the justice system's coddling of criminals and caring more about their rights than the rights of their victims, and the people of Charlotte are demanding some accountability.

It has been 31 days since Iryna Zarutska's murder, and the magistrate judge who freed her murderer prior to the crime is STILL on the bench.

Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes MUST be removed immediately for failing her duty and losing public trust. pic.twitter.com/Go3HOnufjr
— Rep. Mark Harris (@RepMarkHarrisNC) September 23, 2025

More than 11,000 signatures have been collected demanding the removal of North Carolina Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes. Despite Brown being a mentally ill repeat offender with 14 prior convictions, Stokes released him without bail in January after he was arrested for abusing the 911 system. Brown's release was also contingent upon a "written promise" that he would return for a court hearing. The petition reads in part:

“Why was a mentally ill, repeat offender allowed to walk free in Charlotte? After his most recent arrest — before he killed Iryna — Decarlos was released without bail by Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes. According to North Carolina lawmakers, Judge Stokes released him ‘based solely on his written promise to appear for a future court date.’ Judge Stokes reviewed Decarlos’s lengthy criminal record, and possibly his history of mental illness, and still let him walk. We need answers and accountability.”

Signers of the petition are not alone. Members of the North Carolina Republican congressional delegation are also calling for Stokes' removal. Their argument is also based on Stokes' reckless decision to release Brown based on a promise to appear at a future court date. The delegation's letter to Mecklenburg County Chief District Court Judge Roy Wiggins states in part:

"Ms. Zarutska’s murder was not only a profound personal tragedy but also a direct result of a failure of judicial responsibility. By releasing a repeat violent offender on nothing more than his written promise to appear, Magistrate Stokes displayed a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice."

Democrat Judge Roy Wiggins has not fired Teresa Stokes even after her decision led to the murder of poor Iryna Zarutska.

Teresa is still deciding cases…

Our judiciary is a disaster. pic.twitter.com/MppE3TYrMj
— C3 (@C_3C_3) September 16, 2025

Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC), one of the signers of the letter to Judge Wiggins, also contended that Stokes' interpretation of pretrial release statutes “calls into question her fitness for service," and also wanted to know if Stokes continued to issue rulings “even though she has lost the public’s confidence.” Besides the release of Decarlos Brown, there may be another good reason to question Stokes' fitness. In North Carolina, magistrates are not required to hold a law degree or pass the bar exam. They must have eight years of experience as a clerk in a superior court, or have a four-year degree, or a two-year associate's degree with four years of work experience in a related field. Astoundingly, over 80 percent of North Carolina magistrates do not have a law degree. This would obviously be the first area ripe for reform.

ALSO READ: Watch: NC Republican Leader Goes Off Over House Dem Theatrics in Heated Debate on Tough on Crime Bill

But thanks to North Carolina state Republicans, help is on the way for innocent North Carolinians who are fed up with liberal judges coddling criminals. My colleague Sister Toldjah reported on the passage of "Iryna's Law" in the GOP-controlled state Assembly. It eliminates cashless bail, strengthens pretrial conditions for violent offenders, and implements new policy regarding mental health evaluations.

As with so many other things, it usually takes something horrible for change to occur. Perhaps the petition, combined with the efforts of the North Carolina GOP delegation, will ensure that Iryna Zarutska's death was not in vain.

FINALLY! Congress has responded to the murder of
Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, and specifically the vile Judge Teresa Stokes who let DeCarlos Brown Jr out of jail on a written promise he would appear in court.

THANK YOU @RepFine You are North Carolina's hero!!🙏🙏🙏🙏 #ncpol https://t.co/9x803AO1P8 pic.twitter.com/F04oX7eOMK
— Sloan Rachmuth (@SloanRachmuth) September 7, 2025

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