Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutka on a Charlotte public transit train in August, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Thursday.
Bondi, who made the revelation during an interview on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” stated she plans to sign the warrant to pursue capital punishment against Brown, a homeless man with documented lengthy criminal and mental health histories.
Highlighting Prior Arrests
The Attorney General heavily emphasized Brown’s extensive record of prior arrests, claiming the suspect should have been incarcerated at the time of the fatal stabbing.
“I plan on signing a warrant to seek the death penalty in that case,” Bondi told host Jesse Watters. “He had been arrested 14 times, Jesse, as you know, and should have been in jail when he murdered that beautiful, innocent young woman.”
Brown faces a federal grand jury indictment charging him with murder on a public transportation system. The Trump administration has seized on the case, attributing Zarutka’s death to “soft-on-crime policies” that allegedly allowed Brown to remain on the streets despite his history.
Details of the Attack
Video footage of the August incident shows Brown approaching Zarutka from behind as she sat alone on the train. He then allegedly stabbed the Ukrainian immigrant three times with a knife in what appeared to be a random act of violence. Zarutka subsequently bled to death on the train floor while bystanders attempted to administer aid.
According to the footage, the attacker made a disturbing statement on the train following the assault: “I got that white girl. I got that white girl.”
Mental Health and Release History
Court documents indicate that Brown has a history, including a prior schizophrenia diagnosis. His most recent release from jail occurred in January on a “written promise to appear” after he was charged with misusing the 911 system. At that time, he had told police that a substance was controlling his bodily movements.
Brown has been appointed an attorney who specializes in capital punishment cases, a measure taken on September 25, according to court documents.
While Brown also faces state-level murder charges that make him eligible for the death penalty, local Charlotte prosecutors have not yet announced whether they intend to pursue capital punishment.
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