Charlotte stabbing suspect was freed twice this year before brutal bus attack

A Charlotte man accused of nearly killing another passenger on a city bus last week had already been in and out of jail twice this year. Court records show that 57-year-old James Calvin Bennett was free on bond in October, just a few weeks before police say he stabbed a man in the chest during a CATS bus ride.

Police arrested Bennett on Nov. 7 and charged him with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and indecent exposure. The victim, identified as Jose “Frenchie” Mulongo, suffered multiple stab wounds, including one dangerously close to his heart, according to a police affidavit. Officers wrote that Mulongo was “close to dying” when first responders arrived.

The bus driver later told investigators she recognized Bennett as a homeless man who often rode her route and said he appeared to stalk Mulongo up and down the aisle moments before the attack. Detectives said surveillance footage backed up her account.

Other riders also reported hearing an argument and seeing Mulongo try to move away before the stabbing began.

One witness described seeing Bennett holding an open alcohol container and a large kitchen knife with a black blade. After the attack, a bystander stepped in and pulled the two men apart. Bennett allegedly took off on foot, but officers found him hours later still wearing bloody clothes.

A detective wrote that Bennett has “a lengthy criminal history,” including previous charges for assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting serious injury with intent to kill. He previously pled guilty to a lesser offense. When taken into custody this month, Bennett at first invoked his right to remain silent but then allegedly told a detective, “You’ve got to have a knife if you can keep me here, you got to have one.” About twenty minutes later, the detective heard him sobbing. 

Police later realized Bennett was the same suspect in an incident reported just four days earlier, when a woman said a man had masturbated while staring at her on another bus.

Records show Bennett was charged with larceny in May and released on a $5,000 bond. In September, he was arrested again on robbery, domestic violence, and threat-related charges. He posted a $25,000 bond and was freed on Oct. 21. A review of court files shows 15 cases tied to him across Mecklenburg, Robeson, and Wake counties since 2022.

Bennett is now being held without bail.

Charlotte has been under heavy scrutiny over releases following another highly publicized transit killing earlier this year, the August stabbing death of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a commuter train.