Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who released a repeat offender later accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, is not licensed to practice law in North Carolina, according to the state’s official database of registered lawyers.
When Stokes’ name is entered into the North Carolina State Bar’s lawyer look-up tool, the system returns an error, indicating she does not hold a license to practice as an attorney in the state.
While magistrate judges in North Carolina are not required by law to be licensed lawyers, the revelation has drawn renewed scrutiny of her decision to release the suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., without bond earlier this year.
I wasn’t aware judges didn’t even have to go to Law School. pic.twitter.com/LxihfQjO2R
— The Older Millennial (@teameffujoe) September 9, 2025
The findings were first reported by journalist Laura Loomer, who also uncovered additional details about Stokes’ background.
She currently serves in Mecklenburg County District Court in Charlotte.
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Brown, 34, was charged in August with fatally stabbing 23-year-old Zarutska at the East/West Boulevard light rail station in Charlotte’s South End.
EXCLUSIVE:
Teresa Stokes, the DEI-appointed magistrate judge who isn’t even admitted to the North Carolina bar, and released DeCarlos Brown Jr. before he brutally murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, is married to a woman.
She’s a lesbian. But, not just any lesbian.… https://t.co/zllzOMTnqL pic.twitter.com/O8UWdWd6tb
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 9, 2025
Video footage from the incident showed Brown approaching Zarutska from behind and stabbing her in the throat. Witnesses appeared frozen in shock, and no one intervened as the attack unfolded.
Court and police records show that Brown had been arrested 14 times before the killing.
His most recent arrest came in January, when he called 911 and claimed he had been given a “man-made material” that controlled when he ate, spoke, and walked.
Police reported that Brown became agitated when officers did not believe him, leading to charges of misusing the 911 system.
Despite his history, Magistrate Stokes released Brown on a written promise to appear in court, rather than requiring bond.
Brown’s criminal record also included a robbery with a dangerous weapon conviction in 2014, for which he served a five-year prison sentence.
He had previously been arrested for assaulting his sister and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
He has also been diagnosed with schizophrenia, according to court documents.
Following Zarutska’s death, questions have mounted about whether Stokes’ decision to release Brown endangered the public.
On Monday, North Carolina Republican lawmakers issued a formal letter calling for her removal.
“This decision was made despite Brown’s extensive criminal history, which included at least 14 prior arrests for serious offenses such as possession of a firearm by a felon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and physical assault of his sister,” the letter stated.
“In 2014, he was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery with a dangerous firearm. The January charge, a Class 1 misdemeanor, arose after Brown became combative with police officers. Yet despite this history of violent and unstable behavior, Magistrate Stokes released Brown without requiring bond or imposing any meaningful conditions to safeguard the public.”
The letter argued that Stokes’ actions directly contributed to the circumstances that allowed Brown to remain free in the community, where he later carried out the fatal stabbing.
Today, I led a letter calling for the removal of Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes, who released a 14-time offender who went on to murder Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte.
This tragedy was preventable. There must be accountability. North Carolinians deserve better. pic.twitter.com/yqEGa873KJ
— Congressman Tim Moore (@RepTimMooreNC) September 9, 2025
Zarutska, who had fled Ukraine seeking safety in the United States, was remembered by her family as a young woman who had come to Charlotte for a new beginning.
Her killing has prompted widespread outrage and renewed calls for reform in North Carolina’s bail system and magistrate court practices.
The case against Brown now includes both state and federal charges.
He faces a federal count of causing death on a mass transportation system, which carries the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty.
The controversy surrounding Magistrate Judge Stokes is expected to continue as state lawmakers weigh accountability measures in the wake of the killing.
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