‘It’s absurd.’ US House Republicans criticize court system in Charlotte hearing
A Congressional hearing in Charlotte on Monday further stoked debate over how to address crime and public safety in the wake of a high-profile stabbing on the city’s light rail.
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee and others from the Carolinas congressional delegation gathered at the Charles R. Jonas Federal Building in uptown for a field hearing weeks after the death of Iryna Zarutska.
The 23-year-old, a Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed on the LYNX Blue Line in South End in August. Her death became increasingly politicized after footage of the stabbing went viral on social media.
On Monday, the committee heard from family members of other victims of violent crime, a local police officer injured in the line of duty and law enforcement experts. While no witnesses were directly connected to the stabbing, the committee focused on several of the most prominent points of debate related to the case.
The predominantly Republican group criticized Democrats for “soft-on-crime” policies. Local Democrats and a group of protestors outside the event called the exercise political.
New Jersey Republican Jeff Van Drew, who chairs the Oversight Subcommittee, noted the group has held similar hearings in Philadelphia and New York City.
“The story is the same. The faces may be different, the accents may be different, the city may look different. But the same story — we’re mourning for innocent lives that have been lost,” he said.
NC’s Adams interrupts SC’s Norman over Zarutska stabbing image
Although no one from Zarutska’s family or directly connected to her case were among the witnesses at Monday’s hearing, her story featured prominently throughout the discussion.
South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, whose district borders Charlotte, held up an image of Zarutska on the train taken moments before her death from the security footage of the incident.
“It’s sick,” the Republican said.
Democratic Rep. Alma Adams, whose district includes much of Charlotte, briefly interrupted Norman’s comments, saying he was going against Zarutska’s family’s wishes by showing the image.
Her family said in a statement Sept. 9 calling for “accountability and systemic change” they were “urging the public and media to respect Iryna’s dignity and their grief by not reposting or circulating the footage of her killing.”
The suspect in Zarutska’s death, DeCarlos Brown, Jr., also came up throughout the hearing. Brown, who has a criminal record, is charged with first-degree murder and a federal transit charge in the case.
Multiple representatives criticized a local magistrate for releasing Brown on a written promise to appear earlier this year when he was charged with misusing 911, a misdemeanor. They said Brown’s history of prior criminal charges and mental health issues should’ve led him to remain incarcerated.
“You don’t need a degree to know that it’s absurd. You don’t need to be an attorney or a judge to know that it’s wrong. You don’t have to have a high-ranking title to know that it doesn’t make sense,” Van Drew said.
A Charlotte Observer review of North Carolina law and Mecklenburg County’s bail policy found releasing someone on a non-violent misdemeanor is routine.
Congressional committee hears from victims’ families, experts
Monday’s hearing also featured testimony from the families of other victims of violent crime.
Mia Alderman told the group her family’s been waiting more than five years for the suspects in her granddaughter’s death to go to trial. Mary Collins, a 20-year-old with a cognitive disability, died in 2020 after prosecutors said she was lured to an apartment and stabbed 133 times, the Observer previously reported. Two men and two women were arrested in the case.
“Five years is not justice. Five years is torment,” Alderman said Monday.
Steve Federico also addressed the committee Monday. His daughter, Logan Federico, a 22-year-old from Waxhaw, died in Columbia in May when she was fatally shot while visiting friends, South Carolina law enforcement previously said.
Steve Federico said the suspect in the case, Alexander Dickey, had been arrested 39 times.
“39 crimes in 10 years. 25 felonies. Can anybody in here explain to me how possibly he could be on the street?” Federico asked.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Justin Campbell, injured in last year’s fatal police shooting on Galway Drive in Charlotte, spoke Monday, too. Campbell testified that officers are frustrated by quick releases of people they arrest.
“The judicial system here in Mecklenburg County, I can speak first hand, is trash. I’ll say it again over and over again. I’ll take the repercussions, what comes next after me saying that,” Campbell said.
Attendees also heard from former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Dena King and crime statistics expert Jeff Asher.
Debate over crime statistics
Asher said data show crime rates, including homicide rates, are trending down in the U.S. in recent years after spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He cited information from the FBI and local law enforcement agencies.
But some on the committee questioned the accuracy of the numbers Asher reported. Others said the numbers provide no comfort to the families of crime victims.
“Statistics don’t always tell the story,” Van Drew said.
NC Democrats, protesters call hearing political
Adams and Rep. Deborah Ross represented North Carolina’s Democratic congressional delegation at Monday’s hearing.
Ross said the Trump administration’s federal spending cuts will lead to less money for the criminal justice system, citing cuts to grant programs and other efforts.
Adams called for an end to “senseless” violence and said “perpetrators of violent crimes must be held accountable.” But Adams also said she was “a little disappointed my colleagues here are politicizing the pain under the guise of seeking justice.”
“I think there’s an eye on this open seat,” Adams said, referring to the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot in North Carolina next year.
Some Republicans at the hearing criticized Adams’ comments.
Adams also spoke before the hearing to a group of about 80 protesters outside the federal building.
Progressive and religious groups, including Indivisible Charlotte and the Poor People’s Campaign, organized the protest. Demonstrators held up signs to passing traffic with slogans such as “EXECUTE JUSTICE NOT PEOPLE” and “NO TROOPS IN CHARLOTTE.”
Potential policy impacts of Charlotte hearing
Monday’s hearing included discussion of the potential policy implications of Zarutska’s death.
North Carolina Republican Rep. David Rouzer, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, said his group will look at fare enforcement procedures in Charlotte and other cities while drafting upcoming transportation legislation.
The Charlotte Area Transit System said previously Brown did not buy a ticket to board the light rail the night of the stabbing and said it would step up fare enforcement on trains.
“Fares are not enforced, and that is a widespread problem. Not just here in Charlotte but all across the nation,” Rouzer said. “And so we’re going to be looking very intently at ways to incentivize enforcement of fare requirements so that we don’t have another tragedy like this.”
Rep. Mark Harris, a Republican from North Carolina, said he plans to introduce legislation related to federal crime funding in Congress soon.
Some also endorsed Iryna’s Law, legislation passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. The bill would, among other things, enact stricter bail rules for a broad new category of “violent offenses” and expand when mental health evaluations are conducted, The News & Observer reported.
Gov. Josh Stein had not signed the bill as of Monday afternoon.
Transportation referendum
Participants in Monday’s hearing also discussed the potential implications of the light rail stabbing on the transportation referendum on the November ballot in Mecklenburg County.
Voters will decide whether to approve a 1% sales tax increase to fund billions in road, rail and bus projects.
Van Drew said the referendum came up when speaking with local leaders ahead of the field hearing.
“They seem to have a really positive outlook. They want to make it better, they want to make it even safer,” he said.
Asked if safety concerns should sway voters, Charlotte-area Rep. Tim Moore said “a key part” of the plan “is going to be funding additional law enforcement.”
Observer reporter Ryan Oehrli contributed to this story.
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 5:21 PM with the headline "‘It’s absurd.’ US House Republicans criticize court system in Charlotte hearing."
