Iryna Zarutska stabbing suspect Decarlos Brown Jr could face death penalty: When North Carolina last executed a person
Iryna Zarutska, who reportedly went to the US to escape the war in Ukraine, was stabbed and killed by Decarlos Brown Jr in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Decarlos Brown Jr, the man charged in the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, was indicted on federal charges on Wednesday, and could well get the death penalty.
A federal grand jury in North Carolina charged him with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, ABC News reported, adding that the charges made him eligible for the death penalty.
Zarutska reportedly fled Ukraine and the war there, to travel to the US, but was stabbed and killed on August 22 on the on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte. Video of the attack, which was widely circulated online, showed a man attacking the woman from behind.
Video seen by investigators, showed Zarutska enter the light rail car and sit in front of Brown. About four minutes later, he pulled out a knife from his pocket and unfolded it before striking her three times in the neck, prosecutors said, as per ABC News. Before the stabbing attack, there didn't seem to be any ‘interaction between the victim and defendant’ as per the arrest affidavit the publication viewed. After the attack, Brown reportedly walked away from the victim.
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Given the vicious nature of the attack, many had called for Decarlos Brown Jr to get the death penalty. “Iryna Zaruska if it was up to me, your killer would have been publicly executed already,” one person on X had said. Another had added, “Let’s hope Iryna Zarutska’s murderer gets the death penalty. It’s the justice Iryna Zarutska deserves. Do you agree?”
Will DeCarlos Brown Jr get the death penalty?
The charges make him eligible for the death penalty, but the trial is not over yet. North Carolina does have capital punishment and now use lethal injections as the method of execution.
After the grand jury indictment in the Zarutska case, the family lawyer said “The family is pleased the federal grand jury returned the indictment against Decarlos Brown Jr. We are hopefully for swift justice,” as per local media reports.
When did North Carolina last execute a person?
The last person executed in North Carolina was in 2006. Samuel Flippen was put to death on Aug. 18 for the murder of his two-year-old stepdaughter.
With Brown's indictment, many are calling for him to get the death penalty. “Death penalty!!! He never should have been out of jail given his long history of violent crimes. Iryna Zarutska's murder is totally on the democrats and their weak on crime policies,” a person on X said. “…Broadcast his execution, charge $5 each to watch, and give the proceeds to her grieving family,” another ranted.
Brown has a past criminal record of larceny and breaking and entering places. He spent five years in jail for robbery with a dangerous weapon, from 2015, as per the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
