State v. McMillan, 214 N.C. App. 320 (Aug. 2, 2011)

Assuming arguendo that the defendant properly preserved the issue for appeal, no confrontation clause violation occurred when the State’s expert forensic pathologist, Dr. Deborah Radisch, testified about the victim’s autopsy and gave her own opinion concerning cause of death. Distinguishing State v. Locklear, 363 N.C. 438 (Aug. 28, 2009), and Bullcoming v. New Mexico, ___ U.S. ___, 131 S. Ct. 2705 (June 23, 2011), and following State v. Blue, 207 N.C. App. 267 (Oct. 5, 2010), the court noted that Dr. Radisch was present for the autopsy and testified as to her own independent opinion as to cause of death.