State v. Okumura

Defendant-appellant Leslie Masao Okumura (hereinafter referred to as appellant) was found guilty by a jury of Escape in the Second Degree. He was thereafter sentenced by the court below to serve a prison term of five years, to run consecutively to the previous term of imprisonment that he was serving at the time of his escape. He appeals from the judgment and sentence of the trial court. The sole question which we decide is whether appellant was deprived of his constitutional right to be present at all stages of his trial.

On February 29, 1976, appellant, along with two other inmates, escaped…