A Riverside man who fatally stabbed his 62-year-old mother during an argument at her Riverside apartment pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder.
Otis James Porter, 41, admitted the charge, along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon — a knife — in the commission of a felony, under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
No charges were dismissed under the deal, which was announced just as pretrial motions were set to get underway before Superior Court Judge Joshlyn Pulliam. She was expected to certify the agreement during Porter’s sentencing hearing on Feb. 21 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. The prison term stipulated by the prosecution and defense was 16 years to life in state prison.
Porter is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
He was arrested immediately after the March 21, 2021, attack on Linda Coleman at her residence in the 4200 block of Monroe Street, near California Avenue.
According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, the defendant and his mother got into an argument that escalated into physical violence that afternoon, and Porter 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 wasn’t specified.
Porter called 911 after his mother collapsed, telling a dispatcher that he had attacked her and injured himself in the process. Railsback 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 had no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
