People v. Ortiz

*461Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Ronald A. Zweibel, J.), rendered June 23, 2004, convicting defendant, after a jury trial, of robbery in the first degree, and sentencing him to a term of 20 years, unanimously affirmed.

The record establishes that defendant validly waived his right to be present at the hearing and at the commencement of trial. After the court conducted a thorough colloquy in which it informed defendant of his right to be present, strongly recommended that he participate in the proceedings to assist his lawyer, and advised him that the trial would continue in his…