Commonwealth v. Wilson

OPINION

NEWMAN, Justice.

James Wilson (Appellant) appeals from the Order of the Superior Court, which reinstated his convictions and remanded for sentencing. We granted allocatur to decide whether the trial in absentia violated Appellant’s constitutional rights. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the Superior Court’s Order and hold that when a defendant voluntarily absents himself from the trial proceedings without cause, he has waived his right to be present and it is within the trial court’s discretion to continue without delay.

FACTS

The Philadelphia Police executed a search warrant for…