ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. — The jury trial for the daughter of Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson started Wednesday.
The state called Dr. Michelle Aurelius, the Chief Medical Examiner for North Carolina, to the stand. She is an expert in pathology and forensic pathology.
She became involved in this case on Sept. 15, 2021 - that’s when the autopsy was performed on Robert James Starner Jr.
Robinson is accused of death by distribution to Starner.
Aurelius was asked to assess the case and perform an examination on Starner. She ordered a urine drug screen, and it came back positive for cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. The state said the amount of fentanyl in Starner alone would’ve been enough to kill him. Aurelius agreed.
There was no evidence of natural disease or trauma for Starner's cause of death.
The attorneys for Robinson then cross-examined Aurelius.
Her attorneys said you can’t rely on a toxicology report to determine the cause of death for overdose cases. They also argued that the knowledge Aurelius had regarding Starner's substance abuse came from a third party telling her of his substance abuse problem and that she couldn’t make that decision herself.
Sheriff Johnson was also present in court.
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