Mark Harris, U.S. Rep. (R-N.C.-8), said former Gov. Roy Cooper’s COVID-era inmate release settlement and cashless bail policies allowed multi-arrest suspect DeCarlos Brown to remain free, leading to the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train last summer.
“Roy Cooper and NC’s pro-crime Democrats have a long track record of empowering criminals and ignoring victims,” said Mark Everette Harris, U.S. Representative from North Carolina. “Cooper released 3,500 inmates from prison during COVID — how many of those criminals went on to commit even more heinous crimes. So then why do radical progressive Democrats continue to empower criminals and neglect common sense. Iryna’s Law cracks down on cashless bail and puts North Carolinians FIRST.”
Harris’s comments were delivered across multiple posts on X and during appearances on Fox News addressing the case of Brown, who is accused in Zarutska’s death. The statements connected Brown’s release to a 2021 settlement under Cooper that freed over 3,500 prisoners to mitigate COVID spread in facilities. Fox News reported records showing Brown’s offender number matched the release list provided by Republican officials.
The NAACP v. Cooper lawsuit resulted in a settlement that extended sentence credits and reinsaid post-release supervision for inmates like Brown, as documented by the ACLU of North Carolina. State Department of Adult Corrections records indicate Brown completed his minimum sentence in 2020 but appeared in the 2021 settlement due to a rearrest. Republican critiques highlight that the settlement included individuals with histories of assault and sexual offenses, contributing to public safety concerns in urban areas like Charlotte (ACLU of North Carolina).
According to Harris, “Roy Cooper and NC’s pro-crime Democrats have a long track record of empowering criminals and ignoring victims (…) Cooper released 3,500 inmates from prison during COVID — how many of those criminals went on to commit even more heinous crimes (…) So then why do radical progressive Democrats continue to empower criminals and neglect common sense (…) Iryna’s Law cracks down on cashless bail and puts North Carolinians FIRST,” he said on X.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee detailed Cooper’s creation of a Racial Equity Task Force in Criminal Justice that advocated for cashless bail and pre-trial releases, policies linked to Brown’s multiple releases. Under Cooper’s administration, earned sentence credit rules were updated, and he commuted death row sentences for 15 inmates convicted of serious crimes including murder and rape. Breitbart reported that judges appointed by Cooper handled cases leading to the release of violent offenders (NRSC).
Nationwide trends toward progressive prosecution have led to declining charges for low-level offenses as seen in Mecklenburg County cases involving Brown, who faced 14 arrests since 2007 including felonies such as robbery (USA Today). Brown served six years for armed robbery and was released without bail in early 2025 for a minor charge before an unconfirmed mental evaluation order. These approaches have drawn scrutiny amid rising perceptions of urban crime; polls cited by Harris show that 81% of Americans view it as serious.
Harris has represented North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District since winning the seat in 2024 by more than 19 points (Ballotpedia). He sits on several House committees including Agriculture, Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce.