People v. Burrows

—Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: We reject the contention of defendant that the Sandoval hearing was conducted in his absence and thus he was denied his right to be present at a material stage of the trial (see, People v Dokes, 79 NY2d 656). The record clearly indicates that defendant was present for that hearing. The verdict is not contrary to the weight of the evidence (see, People v Bleakley, 69 NY2d 490, 495). The sentence was not unduly harsh or severe. On summation the prosecutor improperly referred to matters not in evidence. Those comments, however, were not so egregious…