In what has been a somber week, the difference in philosophical leadership between Charlotte and Mecklenburg County compared to the General Assembly have been thrown into sharp relief.

Speaker Destin Hall, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, Rep. Tricia Cotham Preview Upcoming Public Safety Legislation 

Speaker Destin Hall and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger in a press conference yesterday previewed upcoming legislation to address the growing concern of public safety in North Carolina. The senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska by a career criminal on the Charlotte light rail has stirred many to call for immediate reform in protecting everyday people.

Some of the potential areas legislation might focus on includes restoring the death penalty, reforming cashless bail, and oversight into appointed court magistrates. In Decarlos Brown Jr’s most recent interaction with the judicial system prior to the murder of Iryna Zarutska, the appointed magistrate let him go on a simple promise to appear, despite his long history of violent offenses.

Rep. Tricia Cotham was one of the first elected officials to bring attention to Iryna Zarutska’s murder. In an interview with WSOC Cotham shared she has been preparing legislative action to end cashless bail in addition to prioritizing speedy mental health evaluations and enforcing fares on CATS. 

The legislature returns to session on September 22nd which would be the first opportunity for legislation to be introduced.

We’ve recently shared about some of the recurring issues in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County surrounding artificially low bail, which prompted the passage of The Pretrial Integrity Act in 2023. Beyond the cashless or low bails being provided by magistrates and liberal judges to violent offenders, a theme of mismanagement is also emerging in Charlotte and Mecklenburg.

Audit of Charlotte City Council’s Settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings Released

As national attention continues to grow on public safety concerns in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County the State Auditor’s office released a report on a controversial settlement reached with outgoing CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. The City of Charlotte provided a $305,000 settlement to Jennings due to what he claimed was unfair treatment by a former member of Charlotte City Council. Jennings announced his retirement days after the Office of the State Auditor reached out to begin a review of the settlement. The audit revealed $280,000.00 of the total settlement came from taxpayer dollars, with the rest coming from the city’s risk management fund.

Conservative leaders at the North Carolina General Assembly have prioritized the independence of the Office of the State Auditor this year. This timely review of the City of Charlotte’s secret settlement with Chief Jennings further validates the legislature empowering the Auditor’s office to uncover government waste, fraud, and abuse.

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden’s Bad News Cycles Keep Coming

Just days prior to Iryna Zarutska’s murder news broke of Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chris Allen resigning, due to what Allen characterized as “…constant backstabbing, lies, disrespect and false narratives, all orchestrated by [McFadden], in an attempt to assassinate [his] character.”

Allen was the second in command of the Sheriff’s Office, and had been on the job less than a year following the resignation of previous Chief Deputy Kevin Canty. Canty had also been in the role for less than a year, and cited similar concerns to Allen. Canty’s resignation letter described the work environment in the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Department as “toxic and abusive.”

Today, a former employee of MCSO, Angela Riggsbee, has filed a federal lawsuit against McFadden for what she alleges is retaliatory conduct. Riggsbee along with former HR director Rudyne Pearson were fired in the fall of 2024. Riggsbee alleged at the time that she was asked to alter financial records, and when she refused she was terminated.

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The sobering stories from this week hopefully will bring a renewed drive to review how municipalities are being run. It’s clear that Charlotte and Mecklenburg County’s leaders should take a page out of the General Assembly’s playbook to emphasize safety and transparency.