Zarutska was stabbed to death in August while traveling the Charlotte light rail to the East/West Station Boulevard Station in the South End.
The law received bipartisan support in Raleigh’s General Assembly because of some of the modifications it made to the judicial system. This included prohibiting cash bail for some severe crimes and repeat offenders, limiting the number of times courts can grant pretrial release, and requiring more defendants to undergo mental health exams.
However, this week, some local leaders, including Sheriff Garry McFadden, expressed concerns about the law’s ability to be implemented. He informed county commissioners that the revisions will add to the workload of an already overburdened agency.
“If you can find a policy that will help fill vacancies and produces funding, that is what the sheriff needs,” McFadden stated during a meeting on Tuesday.
McFadden also stated that he will require additional cash for increased staffing.
“You are discussing financing for increased medical care. And we haven’t even discussed the medical capacity or the ability to provide them with the services they require, let alone transporting them to these additional hearings beyond what we now do,” he said.
Across the street, Chief Judge Roy Wiggins stated that courthouse workers will notice an increase in workload, but he is not ready to declare whether or not that increase is sustainable.
“I do think success is going to be that we navigate this first few weeks and see how we do starting Monday, December 1, navigate through it, and see where we stand,” Wiggins told reporters.
