Sentence stands in murder case

The Ohio Supreme Court reinstated the prison sentence.
WARREN -- A man serving two life sentences for aggravated murders has lost a bid to overturn his conviction.
Eric Porterfield pleaded guilty in October 2001 to three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of aggravated burglary.
He was 28 when he decided to take a sure 53 years in prison rather than the chance of being sentenced to die.
He was involved in a Newton Falls home burglary that year that left homeowner David Harper, 38, of Prospect Street injured and two others dead: Garry D. Bell, 40, of state Route 5, Leavittsburg; and Charles Mathey III, 40, of Milton Boulevard, Newton Falls.
From the Southern Ohio Correctional Institution at Lucasville, Porterfield appealed the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court conviction and sentence. But the 11th District Court of Appeals has ruled Porterfield's appeal was filed more than four years after the judgment was entered by the trial court.
Supreme Court action
Also, he'd already appealed his sentence and conviction in 2004, and the 11th District Court then reversed and remanded the case for resentencing. However, the Supreme Court of Ohio reinstated the sentence in State v. Porterfield.
His latest action was dismissed because it was untimely and because he'd already appealed his conviction and sentence.
Two other men were involved in the shooting deaths. Ronald Shaffer, 20, of Newton Falls, was convicted of taking part in the shootings and given a life sentence without parole. Dennis B. Gossett, 35, of Colt Street, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.