Upon the conviction of any person in this State of a crime the punishment of which is death, the presiding judge shall sentence such convicted person to death according to the provisions of § 24-3-530 and make such sentence in writing. Such sentence shall be filed with the papers in the case against such convicted person and a certified copy thereof shall be transmitted by the clerk of the court of general sessions in which such sentence is pronounced to the Director of the Department of Corrections not less than ten days prior to the time fixed in the sentence of the court for the execution of it.