A judge initially ruled that releasing the files could prejudice Decarlos Brown Jr.’s right to a fair trial.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ North Carolina Republican lawmakers are pushing to access criminal files related to the killing of Iryna Zarutska, with a federal judge now scheduled to hear their arguments Feb. 11.
The hearing comes after a federal judge blocked access to files concerning DeCarlos Brown Jr., who is accused of stabbing the 23-year-old on the Charlotte light rail in August. The judge ruled that releasing the files could prejudice Brown’s right to a fair trial.
The court date comes two days after Republican lawmakers on the House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform are set to question Charlotte officials about the city’s public safety during a hearing Feb. 9. The legal dispute over the criminal files has caused multiple delays to the public safety hearing.
Officials scheduledย to appear in Raleigh to present at the hearing include Mayor Vi Lyles, City Manager Marcus Jones, interim CATS CEO Brent Cagle, CMPD Chief Estella Patterson, District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden.
Committee co-chair Rep. Brendan Jones said on X: “North Carolinians deserve the truth about what happened to Iryna Zarutska and the mismanagement in Mecklenburg County. As such, we are asking the court to remove any ambiguity in the order to ensure the full story is told on February 9th.”
Sheriff McFadden said in an interview last week that the hearing shouldn’t have targeted the county.
“When we talk about the light rail that should have been under the CMPD umbrella, but of course, you know we are in a political era,” McFadden said. “They have a chance to ask me a barrage of questions, so we prepared for that, but we stand with our brothers and sisters across the street, CMPD.”
Charlotte City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera said the city has already made progress on public safety issues but needs state funding support.
“I see this hearing as an opportunity to share facts and contacts and progress,” Ajmera said. “We are also asking the state to fund our court system as well as our district attorney’s office fully fund those so that way our public safety works best because if all levels of government collaborate, we can really make a meaningful difference on public safety.”
Ajmera added that she hopes “the conversation is on the issue, and it does not end up being a political theater.”
The public safety hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday. WCNC Charlotte will be in attendance.ย
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