Porterfield v. State

OPINION

O’BRIEN, Justice.

Petitioner, Sidney Porterfield, was convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to death on 16 January 1986.1 On 7 July 1987, while the matter was pending on appellate review, petitioner filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief.2 The original pro se petition was supplemented by appointed counsel. Subsequently the trial court entered an order denying relief on the petition. Appeal was taken and because it was a capital case the Court of Criminal Appeals transferred the proceedings to this Court on 21 June 1990. This Court bifurcated the proceedings…