New Law Rekindles North Carolina Death Penalty Debate
State GOP leaders announce “Iryna’s Law” after the stabbing of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte. Source: WUNC.
More than one month after the stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, on a Charlotte commuter train, House Bill 307, also known as "Iryna's law,” was signed into law on Friday. North Carolina Republican lawmakers introduced this wide-ranging bill as a way to tighten bail rules, expand mental health evaluations for violent offenders, and allow for alternative execution methods if lethal injection is unavailable, drawing both support and criticism.
The bill was passed by the House on Sept. 23, but not without controversy. A key part of the bill included the reinstatement of the Death Penalty in North Carolina, along with potentially changing execution methods. As of the day of the bill's passing, there were 122 people on death row, with the last execution having been carried out in 2006.
This legislation would limit death penalty appeals to be heard within 2 years after being filed, a move that critics say threatens the integrity of the justice system. Legal experts warn that this short appeal period would make it more difficult to access appeals and increase the likelihood of sentencing mistakes, as nothing in the bill addresses how “severely underfunded” the system is. Since 1973, 200 people have been exonerated and released from death row, making that for every 8 people executed, one is released. Before this, appeals could drag on for decades. Many people on death row already have ongoing litigation, since it takes years to build cases proving innocence or other reasons they should not be executed.
The bill also expands executions beyond lethal injection to include firing squad, electrocution, and even nitrogen gas, a new method which United Nation experts describe as a “painful and humiliating” death. Adding these methods could help restart executions, as a main reason no executions have taken place for nearly 20 years is that there are no doctors able to administer the lethal injection drugs. This is because the North Carolina Medical Board has ruled that executing people violates the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm,” and if any doctors do so, they risk their license being revoked.
Despite signing the bill, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein had critiques for the legislation. He posted a video message announcing his signing of the bill, but also calling for more reform. He said he was “troubled by its lack of ambition,” and that it “does not do enough” to keep people safe.
Stein emphasized the need for broader reform efforts aimed at preventing violence. He urged lawmakers to focus on stronger gun laws and comprehensive background checks, which would allow families and law enforcement to temporarily remove a gun from someone deemed dangerous.
Noel Nickle, Executive Director of North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, took a more direct stance on the legislation, saying that it fails to deter crime or improve public safety. She argues that it upholds a system already prone to error and racial disparity, disadvantageous to vulnerable groups such as people of color and those with mental illness.
Nickles' words reflect a deeper debate over what justice should look like in North Carolina. The Equal Justice Initiative argues that the death penalty is an expensive and flawed system which targets the most marginalized communities, focusing solely on retribution while doing little to actually deter crime or keep communities safe. Instead of investing in mental health care, rehabilitation programs, poverty reduction, education, or gun reforms, lawmakers are choosing to focus efforts on expanding a historically biased and inadequate system, risking punishment over prevention.
The signing of “Iryna’s Law” continues the debate over whether expanding executions and limiting appeals makes communities safer or if it simply reinforces a flawed system that leaves the most vulnerable at risk. How will lawmakers ensure that justice, prevention, and public safety are truly balanced?