On September 25, just over a month after Iryna Zarutska was murdered on a North Carolina subway, Joshua Snow Kendrick was appointed to serve as “learned counsel” for Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of her killing. U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Rodriguez noted that Kendrick’s appointment was part of the defendant’s right to an attorney “sufficiently experienced in providing representation in death penalty eligible offenses.”
Kendrick, who has filed multiple motions on behalf of Brown—including two in January seeking to block the release of police bodycam footage and other evidence from media outlets—has also launched a political campaign for South Carolina’s House of Representatives. Election records confirm that Kendrick filed to run as a Democrat for District 22 on March 26.
Kendrick’s campaign email address matches the one used in his legal motions for Brown’s case. The South Carolina Democratic Party lists him as their candidate for District 22 but provides no platform details or response to media inquiries.
The deadline to file for office in South Carolina has passed, meaning Kendrick will face no opposition in the June 9 Democratic primary. However, if incumbent state representative Paul Wickensimer wins the Republican primary, he could become a formidable opponent in November’s general election.
District 22, located just outside downtown Greenville, is considered solidly Republican. Wickensimer defeated his Democratic opponent by a decisive margin of 60%-39.8% in the 2024 election and has held the seat since at least 2012, according to Ballotpedia.
Ballotpedia and BallotReady records indicate that Kendrick has never run for office prior to this campaign, listing only the 2026 South Carolina House District 22 race.
Decarlos Brown was declared mentally incompetent in state court but remains federally charged with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.
Kendrick has declined to comment on his campaign or legal efforts.
