CHARLOTTE — DeCarlos Brown, who was charged with killing Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail in August stood before a judge Thursday for a court proceeding.
Channel 9’s Joe Bruno was in court for the federal hearing.
Brown did not speak, but his eyes wandered. He appeared to have trouble focusing, and he frequently turned his head to look at the gallery as Judge Susan Rodriguez read his charges and potential penalty.
He’s charged with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. The charge carries a possible death penalty sentence, if convicted.
The federal charge is in addition to the local charges of stabbing Zarutska to death in a random act of violence.
Family members say Brown has a long history of mental health issues. In pretrial motions, Brown’s attorneys indicated he is continuing to exhibit those symptoms, and they aren’t sure if he will be able to stand trial. His mental health was not discussed in court Thursday.
Brown will remain in custody, which his attorneys did not object to.
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