Congressman Tim Moore and nine other North Carolina House Republicans have sent a letter demanding the removal of Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes. The call for her removal follows the release of a repeat offender who allegedly murdered Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman, on the Charlotte light rail.
The letter, addressed to Chief District Court Judge Roy Wiggins, urges action against Judge Stokes. Congressman Moore said, “North Carolina’s justice system failed Iryna Zarutska. She came to Charlotte looking for safety and a better life, but instead, she was brutally murdered by a repeat offender who never should’ve been let back on the streets.” He added that Judge Stokes is “unfit to hold this consequential position and should be removed from the bench immediately.”
The lawmakers argue that by releasing the suspect on a written promise to appear, Judge Stokes demonstrated “a willful failure to perform the duties of her office and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice,” referencing N.C.G.S. § 7A-173(a). They also requested a review of her prior bond determinations.
In North Carolina, magistrate judges are appointed officials responsible for early-stage decisions in criminal cases. Unlike elected judges, they may not require a law degree. The incident has raised concerns about flaws in this system.
Other signatories include Reps. Gregory F. Murphy (NC-3), Virginia Foxx (NC-5), Addison P. McDowell (NC-6), David Rouzer (NC-7), Mark Harris (NC-8), Richard Hudson (NC-9), Pat Harrigan (NC-10), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), and Brad Knott (NC-13).
Congressman McDowell remarked on the tragedy: “What happened on the light rail in Charlotte is a tragedy that never should have happened.” He criticized cities for ignoring public safety and allowing criminals to walk free.
Congressman Harris questioned why “a judge knowingly let a repeat criminal with serious mental issues out on our streets,” while Congressman Rouzer highlighted how “liberal soft-on-crime policies are failing our communities locally and nationwide.”
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