Porreca v. State

Michael Porreca, the appellant, was convicted in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County of attempted murder and sentenced to twenty years in prison. The principal question presented on this appeal is whether the trial judge erred in holding that the appellant, whose sole defense was that he was insane at the time of the offense as the result of his use of phencyclidine (PCP), a controlled dangerous substance, had failed to adduce evidence sufficient to place his sanity in issue. 1 As we hold that the appellant’s evidence was sufficient and that the trial judge therefore erred, we shall…