Let ‘Iryna’s Law’ be her legacy

We’ve seen it again and again – Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, Christina Yuna Lee, Michelle Go, Jocelyn Nungaray, Kristal Bayron-Nieves and now Iryna Zurutska – all young women brutally murdered by repeat offenders who never should have been on the street in the first place.

Mental health failures. Bail reform. Parole abuse. Open borders. Progressive DAs. Every layer of this system protects offenders and creates more victims. To most Americans, that seems unthinkable.

To those of us who live it, it’s another day in a system that treats criminals better than victims.

That’s why the passage of Iryna’s Law in North Carolina matters. Named after a young Ukrainian refugee – Iryna Zarutska – brutally murdered by a repeat violent offender who never should have been free, it is both a step forward and a tragic reminder of how far we’ve fallen.

Even the first few paragraphs of this bill – written and named after a victim – are centered on the rights of the defendant. Not because the drafters didn’t care, but because our entire justice system is built backwards. It’s a framework designed to protect the innocent, but in practice it shields the guilty – while victims and their families are left to pick up the pieces.

Still, this law is progress.

And it’s proof that when victims and survivors refuse to be silenced, change can happen.

Parts of Iryna’s Law mirror the very reforms we’ve championed for years through the Victims Rights Reform Council’s Victims Rights Reform Agenda – born out of tear-filled conversations with survivors across America who all asked the same question: Why was their loved one’s killer free to begin with?

Here’s what Iryna’s Law does:

Pretrial Release and Bail Reform: Certain violent offenders can now only be released by a judge, not a magistrate. Judges must review criminal histories and risk assessments, and in many cases, there’s now a presumption against release for repeat violent offenders or drug traffickers. If someone reoffends while on bail, they can be held up to 48 hours for judicial review.

Mental Health and Involuntary Commitment: Dangerous individuals deemed mentally unstable must remain in custody until both a physician and a judge authorize release – with safety plans, medication and housing secured first.

Death Penalty Procedures: Streamlines postconviction death penalty reviews so hearings happen within two years, and ensures execution methods remain constitutional and enforceable.

Prohibits Political “Task Forces” that undermine public safety under the guise of “equity.”

Expands Victims’ Rights: Extends supervision for violent juvenile offenders and guarantees victims are notified before probation or post-release is terminated.

Invests in Accountability: Adds prosecutors and staff in overburdened judicial districts so violent offenders aren’t slipped through the cracks.

Seems like common sense to me. Because predators are everywhere. On Long Island, Shawn Reid, a man under indictment for allegedly raping three little girls, is living freely in an unsecured residential group home in the suburbs – not behind bars. This isn’t just egregious; it’s dangerous. We are not only putting evil people back into our communities, where our children play unsuspecting of the danger.

We need real accountability. That means ending the immunity that protects parole boards, judges and politicians who make the reckless decisions that destroy lives. It means enforcing the laws we already have – and passing the ones that should have been in place long ago.

Unfortunately evil will always exist. We will not always be able to stop bad people from hurting good people. But when our laws are weak, our leaders cowardly, and our system paralyzed by ideology, evil wins. And innocent people dying in preventable tragedies is unacceptable.

Iryna’s Law should not just be a North Carolina victory – it should be a national model. Every state must adopt and enforce similar protections. Every courtroom should prioritize victims’ safety over criminals’ comfort. And every policymaker who dares to look the other way must be held accountable.

At least now, with this law, we have a chance to do what’s right, to restore justice, and to prevent the next tragedy that everyone will pretend was “unforeseeable.” Enough is enough. It’s time to make America safe again – for the innocent, for the victims and for every family who lives every day with an empty chair at the table.