Bail and Pretrial Policy

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said Monday, Dec. 8, that North Carolina’s new Iryna’s Law—tightening pretrial release for repeat and violent offenders—will increase jail populations, strain staff, and reduce magistrate and judicial discretion. The law, signed in October by Gov. Josh Stein and named for 23‑year‑old Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s light rail in August, also adds new requirements for the sheriff’s office; McFadden alleged politicians used the case for a 'political agenda' and said local judges have faced threats and safety fears since the attack.