Charlotte Train Stabber Was Free on Cashless Bail. What Lawmakers Want to Do About It.

The man seen on video fatally stabbing a female Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train was a repeat offender out of jail on cashless bail. 

A magistrate judge in North Carolina released him with a “written promise” to show up in court, the New York Post reported Monday night.

In a video released over the weekend of the Aug. 22 murder, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, is seen stabbing the 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, on the Charlotte train. Brown was charged with the crime, according to the Post.

Brown was arrested at least 14 times before in North Carolina, according to news reports. The alleged crimes included assault, illegal firearms possession, felony robbery, and larceny. The charges date back to 2007, the Post reported. Brown’s mother told Charlotte TV station WSOC that her son was a schizophrenic and should not have been free. 

President Donald Trump blamed soft-on-crime policies across the country in remarks Monday, specifically calling out cashless bail.

“This cashless bail started a wave in the country where a killer kills somebody and is out in the street by the afternoon—in many cases killing again,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., co-sponsored a bill with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to end cashless bail on a national basis. The bill, called the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act, is sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., in the Senate.

“Iryna Zarutska should still be alive—her blood is on the hands of every single person who made it possible for this monster to walk free,” Moore said in a public statement. “That’s why I’m co-leading the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act to cut off federal funds to any state or city that refuses to detain violent offenders. If leaders willingly refuse to do their job to lock up dangerous criminals, they shouldn’t get a dime of federal support.”

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, issued a statement in response to the video.

“As I reflect on the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, my heart continues to go out to her family and our community as we try to make sense of this horrific and senseless loss,” the mayor said. “This was a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates. Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety. We need a bipartisan solution to address repeat offenders who do not face consequences for their actions and those who cannot get treatment for their mental illness and are allowed to be on the streets.”