Ten Republican U.S. Representatives from North Carolina, led by Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC), have formally requested the removal of Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes.
In a letter to Chief Judge Roy Wiggins, the lawmakers criticized Stokes’s decision to release Decarlos Johnson Jr. — a 14-time offender — on a mere written promise to appear in court. They labeled the decision “reckless” and warned it had “devastating consequences,” directly implicating it in the subsequent murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.
“Despite his history of violent and unstable behavior, Magistrate Stokes released Brown without requiring bond or imposing any meaningful conditions to safeguard the public,” the letter read.
“This reckless decision had devastating consequences,” the letter continued, referencing Zarutska’s murder. “Ms. Zarutska’s murder was not only a profound personal tragedy but also a direct result of a failure of judicial responsibility. Magistrate Stokes displayed a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
Moore posted on social media: “This tragedy was preventable. There must be accountability. North Carolinians deserve better.”
Johnson, who reportedly struggled with mental health issues, fatally stabbed Zarutska in the neck on a Charlotte light-rail train while she was sitting quietly looking at her phone, according to video posted online.
After the attack, he calmly walked to the train door, removed his sweatshirt, and left, dripping her blood as he walked off. Zarutska collapsed and died at the scene.
