Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) has announced plans to introduce legislation targeting judges who release repeat offenders, following the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a young Ukrainian woman fatally stabbed by a homeless career criminal on a train in North Carolina.
Fine’s proposed bill aims to hold judges personally accountable if violent repeat offenders they release go on to commit further crimes. The congressman highlighted the case of Decarlos Brown Jr., the accused perpetrator, who had been arrested 14 times and released multiple times despite his extensive criminal history. Brown, a homeless ex-convict with convictions dating back to 2014, was freed from custody before allegedly murdering Zarutska in Charlotte.
“Those 12+ judges that released Decarlos Brown Jr. should have their day in court too,” Fine stated. He criticized the perceived lack of accountability for judicial decisions, noting, “It’s easy to release criminals when you’re protected by an armed bailiff at all times. The rest of us aren’t so lucky.”
The legislation has drawn support from figures like Benny Johnson, who argued that judges who free dangerous individuals share responsibility for subsequent crimes. “How many more people have to die because weak judges keep unleashing violent criminals back onto our streets?” Johnson asked.
Fine emphasized that the bill could have prevented Zarutska’s death had it been enacted earlier, stating, “If this legislation had been passed years or even months ago, then Iryna Zarutska may still be alive.” The proposal has sparked debate over judicial accountability and criminal justice reform.
