US says will pursue maximum penalty for murder of refugee | International

WASHINGTON, Sept 10, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - US Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed Tuesday to pursue the "maximum penalty" against a man charged with murdering a Ukrainian refugee, as the Trump administration continues touting its tough-on-crime agenda in Democratic-led cities. Authorities say Iryna Zarutska was repeatedly stabbed from behind by 34-year-old DeCarlos Brown Jr. last month while riding a light rail train in the southern city of Charlotte, North Carolina. "We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence -- he will never again see the light of day as a free man," Bondi said in a statement. Brown is charged with one federal count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system, and faces...