NEWNow you can hearken to Fox Information articles!
FIRST ON FOX: The person charged in a Charlotte bus stabbing final week was out and in of jail twice this 12 months — most lately freed on bond in October — earlier than allegedly knifing one other man within the chest throughout a metropolis bus journey, jail information present.
James Calvin Bennett, 57, was booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail twice this 12 months earlier than his newest arrest on Nov. 7 on expenses of tried first-degree homicide, assault with a lethal weapon and indecent publicity.
The sufferer, recognized as Jose “Frenchie” Mulongo, almost died from a number of stab wounds, together with one simply to the left of his coronary heart, based on a police affidavit.
CHARLOTTE MAYOR SCORES PRIMARY RE-ELECTION VICTORY AMID NATIONAL BACKLASH OVER GRUESOME TRAIN MURDER
Bennett’s reserving images from November, September and Could 2025. General, he is been arrested 15 occasions going again to 2022, courtroom information present. (iStock, Mecklenburg County Jail)
The bus driver acknowledged Bennett as a homeless man who frequented shelters alongside her route and advised police he stalked Mulongo up and down the bus earlier than allegedly stabbing him — a declare detectives stated was corroborated by surveillance video.
Different witnesses stated they heard an argument and noticed Mulongo making an attempt to get away earlier than the assault.
One other passenger advised police he noticed Bennett with an open container of alcohol and a big kitchen knife with a black blade.
FELON INDICTED IN TRAIN MURDER AS ATTACKS TERRORIZE COMMUTERS IN BLUE CITY: REPORT
On this excerpt from Bennett’s pretrial launch settlement signed on Oct. 20, he initialed a line pledging to “abide by all legal guidelines.” Inside days of his launch, he allegedly masturbated in entrance of a girl on a Charlotte bus after which allegedly stabbed a person close to the center. (Mecklenburg District Court docket)
After the stabbing, no less than one bystander intervened and separated the sufferer from his attacker. Bennett allegedly fled on foot, however police caught him hours later carrying the identical bloody garments, based on courtroom paperwork.
“Bennett has a prolonged prison historical past to incorporate being charged with assault with a lethal weapon, inflicting severe damage with intent to kill [and] inflicting severe damage,” a detective wrote within the affidavit. “He pled responsible to a lesser offense, assault with a lethal weapon inflicting severe damage.”
Upon his arrest, Bennett invoked his Fifth Modification proper to stay silent, based on the affidavit, however then allegedly advised the detective, “You have to have a knife if you happen to can hold me right here, you bought to have one.”
SEE IT: VIDEO SHOWS CHARLOTTE TRAIN STABBING SUSPECT BEFORE ATTACK AND MINUTES BEFORE ARREST
Bennett in yet one more, undated mugshot photograph. (Mecklenburg District Court docket)
About 20 minutes later, the detective overheard him sobbing.
After his arrest within the stabbing case, a detective acknowledged him from an incident 4 days earlier by which a girl reported a person masturbating whereas looking at her on one other bus.
Bennett was charged with larceny in Could and launched a day in a while $5,000 bond.
BLUE CITY CRIME CRISIS: REPEAT OFFENDER STRIKES AGAIN AFTER CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDER
In September, police picked him up once more on expenses of theft, home violence and making threats. He posted $25,000 bond and was launched on Oct. 21.
A deeper examination of courtroom information discovered 15 instances in opposition to him within the Mecklenburg, Robeson and Wake District Courts going again to 2022.
He’s now being held with out bail on the tried homicide cost.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Town has confronted intense scrutiny over low bail for repeat offenders within the wake of one other public transit stabbing, the August homicide of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old pizzeria employee stabbed within the neck from behind on a commuter prepare.
Iryna Zarutska curls up in concern as a person looms over her moments earlier than he attacked her with a knife on a Charlotte, N.C., mild rail prepare. (NewsNation by way of Charlotte Space Transit System)
On Aug. 22, a mentally ailing suspect with a historical past of greater than a dozen prior expenses named Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, allegedly killed Zarutska in an unprovoked assault caught on video.
