SouthernWorldwide.com – North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper is facing renewed criticism regarding his stance on crime, particularly in light of the recent murder of a teacher. Critics are highlighting the case of a career criminal, who was released after charges were reduced by a judge appointed by Cooper, as evidence of a lenient approach to criminal justice.
Cooper is currently campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Senator Thom Tillis. This race is anticipated to be highly competitive, with Democrats viewing North Carolina as a potential gain. Cooper’s opponent is Republican candidate Michael Whatley, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee.
The killing of teacher Iryna Zarutska by a repeat offender last summer has intensified scrutiny of Cooper and North Carolina’s criminal justice system. Critics argue that the system frequently allows individuals with a history of offenses to return to the streets.
Emma Hall, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, stated, “Roy Cooper is a soft-on-crime lunatic who lets monsters out of prison instead of fighting to keep North Carolinians safe. Cooper’s record has deadly consequences, and he owes every victim and their family an apology for his failure to keep dangerous criminals off the streets.”
These concerns have resurfaced following the tragic death of Raleigh science teacher Zoe Welch. Critics suggest that her murder may have been preventable.
Welch was discovered deceased in her residence in January, with an autopsy confirming blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death. The accused perpetrator, Ryan Camacho, had been facing multiple breaking and entering charges from April 2025. Despite having a record of 20 prior arrests, Durham District Court Judge Dorothy Hairston Mitchell reduced these charges to a misdemeanor, leading to Camacho’s release.
Judge Mitchell was appointed to her position in District 14 by Governor Cooper in 2021. At the time of her appointment, Cooper lauded her, expressing confidence in her “dedication and fairness.”
Mitchell was appointed to succeed Brian Wilks and subsequently won election to the position in November 2022. Cooper’s office has since sought to distance the governor from Mitchell’s judicial decisions.
A spokesperson for Cooper’s campaign countered by stating, “While Roy spent his career putting rapists and violent criminals behind bars, Michael Whatley spent his appointing a convicted child sex predator who served time in prison for multiple counts of felony child sex crimes to a powerful position within the North Carolina Republican Party.”
The campaign pointed to instances where Whatley, while involved with the North Carolina GOP in 2021 and 2024, appointed Harvey Lee West, a convicted child sex offender, to the state’s Plan of Organization Committee. West had pleaded guilty in 1999 to statutory rape involving three minors. West had maintained that he was transparent about his criminal history with state Republican leadership.
Cooper’s campaign emphasizes his 16 years as North Carolina’s attorney general and legislative actions taken during his governorship, such as a law aimed at prosecuting drug dealers who supply fatal doses, as evidence of his commitment to law enforcement.
However, data indicates that under Cooper’s administration, approximately 3,500 inmates were released over a 180-day period in 2021. This release was part of a settlement agreement addressing concerns about inmate deaths from Covid-19. Some of these individuals had been convicted of serious offenses, including those against children and sexual assault.
Furthermore, records show that 560 inmates released during Cooper’s tenure were arrested on new charges within two years of their release. This group included Tyrell Brace, who was later charged with first-degree murder in the death of Elante Thompson in Charlotte.
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Another individual released was Jimmie Speight, who had prior convictions for indecent liberties with a child and failure to register as a sex offender. He was released nearly nine months early and, in 2023, received a sentence of over 32 years for second-degree murder.
