Brown, 35, appeared in federal court in Charlotte on Tuesday morning for a competency hearing, and during the short proceeding he was found incompetent to stand trial at this time, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement. The finding deals solely with Brown’s ability to understand the proceedings and assist in his own defense, the office added, and has nothing to do with the facts of the stabbing.
The judge ordered Brown to be hospitalized for up to four months so medical professionals can evaluate him and determine whether treatment can restore his competency, according to North Carolina television news outlet WRAL. A further hearing will assess his fitness to stand trial after his release.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson told WRAL he is “very hopeful” that Brown’s competency will be restored. “The doctor who examined him for the competency hearing today found that his prognosis for restoration is very good, so I rely on the doctors there.”
Ferguson said in a separate statement: “This case weighs on our hearts every day, and our chief concern is obtaining justice for Iryna Zarutska and her family. This is a step in the process to ensure we have a solid case that can withstand appeal.”
Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who had resettled in the Charlotte area, was killed on a light rail train on Aug. 22, 2025. Surveillance camera footage of the attack was released, drawing national attention to the case.
In September, Brown was federally charged with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty, according to the U.S. Justice Department. He also faces a state charge of first-degree murder in Zarutska’s death. In April, Brown was deemed incapable of proceeding to trial on that state charge on similar grounds, and that hearing was reportedly delayed until October.
Brown has a documented history of prior arrests, legal problems, and mental health issues. His attorneys argued in May that he “suffers from serious mental illness and impairments” and that examiners with the Justice Department and the federal Bureau of Prisons determined he was currently incapable of proceeding in the federal case.
Ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, Brown’s attorneys submitted a letter he wrote to the court. In the letter, Brown said: “I would like to tell the court I have a body emergency. Someone has full access to my body and they are controlling me wrongfully. And law enforcement refuses to investigate it. And it requires an investigation.” He added that “when describing the technology someone was using I was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia.”