Bottom v. State

OPINION

FARRIS, Justice.

A jury convicted Blane Adair Bottom of aggravated sexual assault of a child younger than fourteen years of age, see TexPenal Code Ann. § 22.021 (Vernon 1989), and sen- teneed him to fifty-years imprisonment. Bottom appeals, claiming the court abused its discretion in continuing the trial in his absence. Because Bottom was present when the jury was selected and his absence from the courtroom was voluntary, we overrule his point of error and affirm the judgment.

At this trial, Bottom was present during voir dire, seating and swearing of the jury, presentation of the…