People v. Davidson

OPINION OF THE COURT

Memorandum.

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.

Upon direct appeal from his conviction for first and second degree robbery, defendant argued that he was deprived of his right to be present during voir dire questioning of prospective jurors (see, People v Antommarchi, 80 NY2d 247). Because the trial court had refused to record substantial portions of the voir dire proceeding, the Appellate Division remanded the case for a reconstruction hearing. The reconstruction court found that defendant was not present during several conferences with prospective jurors…