Citation Codes Equivalent Citations citation codes See more information ... Smart Summary Please sign up to generate summary. OPINION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent, v. JOHN BURKS, SR., Appellant. Judgment unanimously affirmed. Memorandum: We reject the contention that defendant's absence from a Sandoval and Ventimiglia conference warrants reversal. Subsequent proceedings held in open court in defendant's presence constituted a de novo Sandoval and Ventimiglia hearing (see, People v Vargas, 201 A.D.2d 963, lv denied 83 N.Y.2d 859; People v Russell, 191 A.D.2d 1001, lv denied 81 N.Y.2d 1019; People v Berger, 188 A.D.2d 1073, 1074, lv denied 81 N.Y.2d 881).