Hoax – Decarlos Brown Jr., accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in the U.S., was allegedly sentenced to death and cried in court.
Analysis
The death of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a train in the United States sparked international commotion and was widely covered by the press. The case also gained political resonance, with leaders such as Donald Trump calling for the death penalty for suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. (see here).
In this context, videos began circulating on social media claiming to show the accused being sentenced to death and crying during trial. The content is accompanied by emotional and political captions, boosting its reach. Examples:
Version 1: THE DEATH PENALTY HAS BEEN DECREED FOR THE YOUNG MAN WHO TOOK THE LIFE OF YOUNG IRYNA ZARUTSKA The suspect awaits execution. Version 2: The murderer of the young Ukrainian has already been found and sentenced to death. This is how psychopaths should end. Version 3: North Carolina: Iryna Zarutska, 23, a Ukrainian from Kyiv, was murdered by homeless man Decarlos Brown Jr., 34. Awaiting death penalty, same sentence shown in the video. Version 4: The man who killed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska now cries at the possibility of the death penalty. If this had happened elsewhere, this monster would be treated as human. They would loosen his handcuffs, ask if he wanted coffee or water, ask if the police mistreated him, release him in custody hearing and arrest the police. In the U.S. there is justice!
Fact-check
The posts present the case as if the conviction had already occurred, reinforcing narratives about justice and punishment. Given the repercussion, we analyzed three key points to verify the information: 1) Who are Iryna Zarutska and Decarlos Brown and what actually happened? 2) Was the accused sentenced to death and did he cry in court? 3) What is the real origin of the video used in the posts?
Who are Iryna Zarutska and Decarlos Brown, and what happened?
Iryna Zarutska was a young Ukrainian refugee who moved to the U.S. fleeing the war in her country. She was murdered on a train, in a case that caused great public commotion (read more). The accused is 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr., who was arrested and indicted. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed he faces federal charges. However, there is no record of a conviction yet.
Was Decarlos Brown sentenced to death and did he cry in court?
No. Although arrested and formally charged, Decarlos Brown has not yet been tried or convicted. So far, no sentence has been issued, much less the death penalty (especially since the case is recent). The videos claiming he was sentenced and cried in court come from another situation.
What is the origin of the video?
The video has no relation to Decarlos Brown’s case. It actually shows Jaleel Smith-Riley fainting after receiving a life sentence in Ohio (see here). Other versions of the same video can be found on social media, such as this one and this reel.
Conclusion
It is false that Decarlos Brown, accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, has been sentenced to death and cried in court. He has been arrested and indicted, but the trial has not yet occurred. The video circulating is from Jaleel Smith-Riley’s case and was used out of context. It is another fake news that exploits a real case to manipulate emotions and reinforce political narratives.
Fake news ❌
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