Finnegan v. State

OPINION

WORKE, Judge.

On appeal from the denial of a postcon-viction-relief petition challenging his first-degree criminal-sexual-conduct conviction, appellant argues that the district court abused its discretion in ruling that (1) he voluntarily absented himself from trial after he was hospitalized for a drug overdose and that it was proper to conduct his trial in absentia, and (2) the prosecutor did not commit prejudicial misconduct in closing argument. Because the record supports the finding that appellant voluntarily absented himself by attempting suicide, we conclude that appellant waived…