Schedule II controlled substances
Death by Distribution
NC Gen Stat 90-96.2
Drug-related overdose treatment; limited liability (Good Samaritan statute)
NC Gen Stat 14-17 (before 12-1-23)
Second degree murder by distribution for offenses before 12-1-23
NC Gen Stat 14-17(b)(2)
Second degree murder statute
NC Gen Stat 14-18.4
Death by distribution and aggravated death by distribution statute
Webinar Series: Critical Issues in Drug Related Deaths
10-part free webinar series running from Apr. 1 – July 30, 2025 Registration here. The series focuses on improvements to accuracy and consistency in recording cause and manner of death in drug toxicity cases. The sessions will address the complex and variable supply of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and the proliferation of other drug classes including …
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NACDL 4th Amendment Center Information Sheet
Describes assistance that NACDL’s Fourth Amendment Center can provide to defense teams regarding digital evidence
Confrontation Clause Flowchart
Quick reference for analyzing admissibility of statements under the Confrontation Clause. Created by Phil Dixon in March 2025.
Death by Distribution
Hard-to-prove NC drug law leaves families of fentanyl victims chasing justice
Provides data on frequency of prosecution of death by distribution cases in Charlotte and surrounding counties.
Hard-to-prove NC drug law leaves families of fentanyl victims chasing justiceRead More
Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator
NIJ and its multidisciplinary partners have released an updated technical guide for conducting collaborative death scene investigations. The 2024 guide accounts for key changes in the field, including: This revised edition is a collaborative effort to update the content to ensure the best possible outcome for both death and criminal investigations today.
Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene InvestigatorRead More
False-Positive Rate for Suspected Drug-Related Deaths Following Full Autopsy
Review of case files and autopsies from WF Baptist Medical Center to determine whether significant disease processes or injuries that would supersede the results of toxicologic testing and external examination findings alone were being missed
False-Positive Rate for Suspected Drug-Related Deaths Following Full AutopsyRead More
NC law that punishes drug dealers not widely used despite increase in overdose deaths
Provides interactive map showing death by distribution cases filed by county between 2019 and 2023 and overdose rate by county.
NC law that punishes drug dealers not widely used despite increase in overdose deathsRead More
State v. McCrorey, 291 N.C. App. 650 (2023)
Court of Appeals decision finding that circumstantial evidence supported the conclusion that defendant sold fentanyl instead of heroin to the victim. The court also noted “[w]hile the evidence does not foreclose the possibility that fentanyl may not have been the sole cause of [the victim’s] death, there is ample evidence to support a conclusion that …
State v. McCrorey transcript excerpt
Testimony of Dr. Jonathan Privette (forensic pathologist) and Dr. Justin Brower (forensic toxicologist) re: fentanyl overdose, mixing of fentanyl and cocaine