Pretrial motions are slated to begin Thursday ahead of jury selection for the trial of a Riverside man accused of fatally stabbing his 62-year-old mother.
Otis James Porter, 41, was arrested immediately after the alleged 2021 attack on Linda Coleman at her apartment in the 4200 block of Monroe Street, near California Avenue.
Porter is charged with first-degree murder and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon — a knife — in the commission of a felony.
During a status hearing Monday at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Joshlyn Pulliam conferred with the prosecution and defense regarding scheduling, and the two sides indicated they would try to be prepared to move forward with proceedings starting Thursday, provided there’s a courtroom available to which Pulliam can assign the case.
Porter is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
According to Officer Ryan Railsback of the Riverside Police Department, the defendant and his mother got into an argument that escalated into physical violence on the afternoon of March 21, 2021, and Porter allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed her numerous times.
“He also stabbed himself … causing injuries to one of his legs,” Railsback said.
The reason for the argument was not disclosed.
Porter called 911 after his mother collapsed, telling a dispatcher that he had attacked her and injured himself in the process, according to Railsback. He said patrol officers arrived within a couple of minutes and took the defendant into custody without a struggle.
Officers attempted CPR on Coleman, and Riverside Fire Department paramedics also tried to keep her alive until reaching Riverside Community Hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Porter was treated for his leg injury and cleared for booking into the downtown Riverside jail.
The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.