A deadly pattern of court failure has drawn national attention as families, victims, and officials question why repeat violent offenders remain free despite long criminal histories. The latest criticism comes from Stanislav Nikulytsia, whose girlfriend, Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, was stabbed to death in Charlotte, NC, and who now sees disturbing parallels in the Chicago train attack that left passenger Bethany MaGee with life-threatening burns.
Nikulytsia reacted publicly after learning that the suspect in the Chicago attack, Lawrence Reed, had 72 prior arrests. Sharing a report on the incident, he wrote, “72 prior arrests sounds like a joke. I guess 72 times was not enough to understand who he is.” He added, “Why they always wait for them to do something like that to start doing something to prevent it.” Zarutska had fled the war in Ukraine in 2022, only to be fatally stabbed while returning from work. The suspect in her case, Decarlos Brown, had 14 prior arrests and was released months earlier on cashless bail with only a written promise to return to court.
Bodycam footage from early 2024 showed Brown telling officers a “man-made material” was controlling his body, months before he allegedly killed Zarutska. Nikulytsia later shared a video criticizing lax judicial policies, including the statement, “Being soft on crime incentivizes more crime.” The speaker warned that judicial inaction fuels vigilantism by leaving communities unprotected.
In Chicago, Reed allegedly doused MaGee with gasoline and set her on fire. Despite a violent history, including an assault on a social worker, Reed had been released in August by Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez. Prosecutor Jerrilyn Gumila had warned that electronic monitoring was “wholly insufficient,” yet the judge insisted her hands were tied, stating, “I can’t keep everybody in jail because the state’s attorney wants me to.”
MaGee remains hospitalized with burns to 60% of her body. Reed, who has eight felony convictions, appeared in court Monday and shouted “I’m guilty” multiple times after being told he could face life in prison.
The White House condemned the attack, pointing to policies in Democrat-led cities. Officials said Reed was free because of Illinois’ “radical, dangerous ‘no cash bail’ law.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called the attack “a tragic incident” and “an absolute failure of our criminal justice system as well as our mental health institutions.” Johnson previously pushed to redirect funds away from law enforcement as a county commissioner but pledged not to cut police budgets when running for mayor.
As both cases gain national scrutiny, families and officials continue urging reforms to prevent violent repeat offenders from cycling through the system unchecked. For many, the tragedies of Zarutska and MaGee underscore how court failure leaves innocent people vulnerable to preventable violence.
