Daly, J.
The defendant appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of criminal attempt to commit robbery in the first degree while armed with a deadly weapon in violation of General Statutes §§ 53a-49 (a) (2), 53a-133 and 53a-134 (a) (2). The defendant claims that the trial court (1) improp[29]*29erly permitted the defendant’s witness to invoke his fifth amendment privilege in the jury’s presence, (2) improperly allowed cross-examination of the defendant’s witness concerning his failure to come forward until the trial, (3) allowed improper closing arguments by the prosecutor, (4) incorrectly instructed the jury on reasonable doubt, and (5) incorrectly charged the jury on the statutory definition of robbery. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
From the evidence presented at trial, the jury could reasonably have found the following facts. Shortly after midnight on January 31,1988, the victim, Andre Davis, and his friend, Richard Clark, drove to the front of 109 Hurlburt Street in New Haven, stopped, and exited the car to talk with another friend, Karen Taylor. Their conversation occurred a short distance from the victim’s car. As the victim and Clark were returning to their car, they passed the defendant who was standing in the midst of a group of men. The defendant pressed a gun to the victim’s stomach and led him to an alley next to 109 Hurlburt Street. The defendant attempted to take the victim’s wallet and a struggle ensued. Clark then came to the aid of the victim. During the struggle, a shot was fired from the group of men on the street, and, shortly thereafter, a shot was fired from the defendant’s gun. Clark fled. While the struggle was continuing, another man, Demetrious Woods, came into the alley with his gun drawn. The victim and the defendant were still fighting when the defendant’s gun fell to the ground. At that point, the victim turned to run but was shot in the back by Woods and fell to the ground. Eventually, the victim pulled himself up and called for help.
The defendant’s sister, Albertha Robinson, resided with her niece, Karen Taylor, in a third floor apartment on Hurlburt Street. When Robinson heard the first two shots, she looked out the window to the alley. She heard [30]*30the crowd yelling to Woods to shoot, heard the third shot and saw the victim exit the alley and fall to the ground. Robinson and Taylor went outside to the victim who told them that Woods had shot him while the defendant tried to rob him. Police and an ambulance arrived thereafter and took the victim to a hospital.
I
The following procedural facts are germane to the defendant’s first claim. The defendant called Clark as his witness during trial. Clark was an inmate at the Manson Youth Institute in Cheshire serving a sixteen year sentence for the offense of manslaughter. Clark was represented by counsel during the course of his testimony. Outside the presence of the jury, Clark was questioned about his prior record, his knowledge and use of weapons, particularly handguns, and his most recent conviction. Clark invoked his fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination in the presence of the jury and refused to answer three of the questions that had been asked of him outside the presence of the jury. The defendant had objected to these questions and to Clark’s invocation of the fifth amendment going before the jury because it served no purpose. The court overruled the objection, and the defendant excepted.
On appeal, the defendant states in his first claim that it was improper for the trial court to allow the witness to invoke his fifth amendment privilege before the jury, but then claims (1) that there was prosecutorial misconduct in forcing the witness to invoke the fifth amendment privilege before the jury, and (2) that the state unfairly bolstered its case from inferences not subject to rehabilitation. The defendant made no such claims to the trial court. There, he objected because the questions and invocation of the fifth amendment in the presence of the jury would serve no purpose. The claims of prosecutorial misconduct and unfair bolster[31]*31ing of the state’s case were not distinctly presented to the trial court as required by Practice Book §§ 288 and 4185, and thus we are not bound to consider them on appeal. State v. Burroughs, 22 Conn. App. 507, 511-12, 578 A.2d 146 (1990). Moreover, the defendant’s claim does not raise any constitutional issues, rather it is a claim of evidentiary trial error. State v. Person, 215 Conn. 653, 659, 577 A.2d 1036 (1990), cert. denied, U.S. , 111 S. Ct. 756, 112 L. Ed. 2d 776 (1991). Because the defendant has not raised a constitutional claim, it does not warrant further review in its unpreserved state under the Evans-Golding criteria. State v. Golding, 213 Conn. 233, 567 A.2d 823 (1989). The defendant has also requested review under the plain error doctrine. Practice Book § 4185. “Such review is reserved for truly extraordinary situations where the existence of the error is so obvious that it affects the fairness and integrity of and public confidence in the judicial proceedings.” State v. Hinckley, 198 Conn. 77, 87-88, 502 A.2d 388 (1985). The three times the witness invoked his fifth amendment rights before the jury in the context of the entire trial did not rise to the level of such manifest injustice so as to impair the effectiveness or integrity of the defendant’s trial. State v. Person, supra, 666. Thus, there is no plain error in this case.1
II
The defendant next claims that the court improperly allowed the cross-examination of Clark because the state failed to lay a foundation before asking why Clark did not come forward sooner with his exculpatory evidence regarding the defendant. The defendant did not object to this line of questioning during the trial and now seeks review under the Evans-Golding criteria. State v. Golding, supra. We conclude that the defend[32]*32ant has not raised a constitutional claim; State v. Jones, 205 Conn. 723, 736-38, 535 A.2d 808 (1988); State v. Eaddy, 16 Conn. App. 264, 271, 547 A.2d 912 (1988); or one that even approaches plain error; Practice Book § 4185; and therefore decline to review it.
Ill
The defendant next claims that certain comments during the assistant state’s attorney’s closing argument violated the defendant’s federal and state constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. Specifically, the defendant claims that the prosecutor (1) commented on Clark’s invocation of his fifth amendment privilege,2 (2) commented on Clark’s pretrial silence,3 (3) vouched for the state’s witness, Albertha Robinson,4 and (4) commented on the defendant’s failure to testify,5 and [33]*33thus engaged in prosecutorial misconduct.
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Daly, J.
The defendant appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of criminal attempt to commit robbery in the first degree while armed with a deadly weapon in violation of General Statutes §§ 53a-49 (a) (2), 53a-133 and 53a-134 (a) (2). The defendant claims that the trial court (1) improp[29]*29erly permitted the defendant’s witness to invoke his fifth amendment privilege in the jury’s presence, (2) improperly allowed cross-examination of the defendant’s witness concerning his failure to come forward until the trial, (3) allowed improper closing arguments by the prosecutor, (4) incorrectly instructed the jury on reasonable doubt, and (5) incorrectly charged the jury on the statutory definition of robbery. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
From the evidence presented at trial, the jury could reasonably have found the following facts. Shortly after midnight on January 31,1988, the victim, Andre Davis, and his friend, Richard Clark, drove to the front of 109 Hurlburt Street in New Haven, stopped, and exited the car to talk with another friend, Karen Taylor. Their conversation occurred a short distance from the victim’s car. As the victim and Clark were returning to their car, they passed the defendant who was standing in the midst of a group of men. The defendant pressed a gun to the victim’s stomach and led him to an alley next to 109 Hurlburt Street. The defendant attempted to take the victim’s wallet and a struggle ensued. Clark then came to the aid of the victim. During the struggle, a shot was fired from the group of men on the street, and, shortly thereafter, a shot was fired from the defendant’s gun. Clark fled. While the struggle was continuing, another man, Demetrious Woods, came into the alley with his gun drawn. The victim and the defendant were still fighting when the defendant’s gun fell to the ground. At that point, the victim turned to run but was shot in the back by Woods and fell to the ground. Eventually, the victim pulled himself up and called for help.
The defendant’s sister, Albertha Robinson, resided with her niece, Karen Taylor, in a third floor apartment on Hurlburt Street. When Robinson heard the first two shots, she looked out the window to the alley. She heard [30]*30the crowd yelling to Woods to shoot, heard the third shot and saw the victim exit the alley and fall to the ground. Robinson and Taylor went outside to the victim who told them that Woods had shot him while the defendant tried to rob him. Police and an ambulance arrived thereafter and took the victim to a hospital.
I
The following procedural facts are germane to the defendant’s first claim. The defendant called Clark as his witness during trial. Clark was an inmate at the Manson Youth Institute in Cheshire serving a sixteen year sentence for the offense of manslaughter. Clark was represented by counsel during the course of his testimony. Outside the presence of the jury, Clark was questioned about his prior record, his knowledge and use of weapons, particularly handguns, and his most recent conviction. Clark invoked his fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination in the presence of the jury and refused to answer three of the questions that had been asked of him outside the presence of the jury. The defendant had objected to these questions and to Clark’s invocation of the fifth amendment going before the jury because it served no purpose. The court overruled the objection, and the defendant excepted.
On appeal, the defendant states in his first claim that it was improper for the trial court to allow the witness to invoke his fifth amendment privilege before the jury, but then claims (1) that there was prosecutorial misconduct in forcing the witness to invoke the fifth amendment privilege before the jury, and (2) that the state unfairly bolstered its case from inferences not subject to rehabilitation. The defendant made no such claims to the trial court. There, he objected because the questions and invocation of the fifth amendment in the presence of the jury would serve no purpose. The claims of prosecutorial misconduct and unfair bolster[31]*31ing of the state’s case were not distinctly presented to the trial court as required by Practice Book §§ 288 and 4185, and thus we are not bound to consider them on appeal. State v. Burroughs, 22 Conn. App. 507, 511-12, 578 A.2d 146 (1990). Moreover, the defendant’s claim does not raise any constitutional issues, rather it is a claim of evidentiary trial error. State v. Person, 215 Conn. 653, 659, 577 A.2d 1036 (1990), cert. denied, U.S. , 111 S. Ct. 756, 112 L. Ed. 2d 776 (1991). Because the defendant has not raised a constitutional claim, it does not warrant further review in its unpreserved state under the Evans-Golding criteria. State v. Golding, 213 Conn. 233, 567 A.2d 823 (1989). The defendant has also requested review under the plain error doctrine. Practice Book § 4185. “Such review is reserved for truly extraordinary situations where the existence of the error is so obvious that it affects the fairness and integrity of and public confidence in the judicial proceedings.” State v. Hinckley, 198 Conn. 77, 87-88, 502 A.2d 388 (1985). The three times the witness invoked his fifth amendment rights before the jury in the context of the entire trial did not rise to the level of such manifest injustice so as to impair the effectiveness or integrity of the defendant’s trial. State v. Person, supra, 666. Thus, there is no plain error in this case.1
II
The defendant next claims that the court improperly allowed the cross-examination of Clark because the state failed to lay a foundation before asking why Clark did not come forward sooner with his exculpatory evidence regarding the defendant. The defendant did not object to this line of questioning during the trial and now seeks review under the Evans-Golding criteria. State v. Golding, supra. We conclude that the defend[32]*32ant has not raised a constitutional claim; State v. Jones, 205 Conn. 723, 736-38, 535 A.2d 808 (1988); State v. Eaddy, 16 Conn. App. 264, 271, 547 A.2d 912 (1988); or one that even approaches plain error; Practice Book § 4185; and therefore decline to review it.
Ill
The defendant next claims that certain comments during the assistant state’s attorney’s closing argument violated the defendant’s federal and state constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. Specifically, the defendant claims that the prosecutor (1) commented on Clark’s invocation of his fifth amendment privilege,2 (2) commented on Clark’s pretrial silence,3 (3) vouched for the state’s witness, Albertha Robinson,4 and (4) commented on the defendant’s failure to testify,5 and [33]*33thus engaged in prosecutorial misconduct. The state argues that the defendant has failed to preserve these claims for review because he failed to object or except to them at trial.6 Practice Book §§ 288 and 4185. We must now consider whether to grant review under the Evans-Golding criteria; State v. Golding, supra; or the plain error doctrine; Practice Book § 4185; as requested by the defendant. See State v. Rogers, 207 Conn. 646, 653, 542 A.2d 1136 (1988).
The record in this case does not support a claim that the defendant was clearly deprived of a fair trial. “The challenged remarks did not give rise to the level of character assassination and vitriolic personal attacks that we have held to constitute a denial of the constitutional due process right to a fair trial.” State v. Rogers, supra, 654; State v. Williams, 204 Conn. 523, 539-40, 529 A.2d 653 (1987). We conclude, therefore, that the remarks [34]*34of the prosecutor set forth in the record do not rise to the level of state or federal constitutional breach.
IV
The defendant next challenges the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt. During its charge, the court defined reasonable doubt as one “for which a valid reason can be assigned,” and “for which if necessary you can give an explanation to your fellow jurors in the jury deliberation room.” The record reveals that the defendant neither objected to this portion of the charge nor submitted any request to charge on these issues. In its unpreserved state, the defendant now claims that these phrases constituted constitutional error and warrant review under the Evans-Golding criteria. State v. Golding, supra.
The trial court’s instructions on reasonable doubt are the same or similar to jury instructions that have previously been approved. State v. Thomas, 214 Conn. 118, 119-20, 570 A.2d 1123 (1990), and cases cited therein. No review is warranted, therefore, because the defendant cannot show that the alleged constitutional violation clearly exists and clearly deprived him of a fair trial. State v. Golding, supra, 247.
y
The defendant finally claims that while there was evidence that force was used to subdue the victim, satisfying General Statutes § 53a-133 (1), there was no evidence before the jury to support the conclusion that force was employed to compel the victim to deliver up the property, pursuant to General Statutes § 53a-133 (2).7 [35]*35The defendant argues, therefore, that the trial court should not have charged the jury on General Statutes § 53a-133 (2). The defendant lias failed to preserve this claim and now seeks review under Evans-Golding. State v. Golding, supra. Because this claim is similar to the claim reviewed in State v. John, 210 Conn. 652, 687, 557 A.2d 93, cert. denied, 493 U.S. 824, 110 S. Ct. 84, 107 L. Ed. 2d 50 (1989), and in State v. Williams, 202 Conn. 349, 361-63, 521 A.2d 150 (1987), we will grant review.
We begin by noting that the defendant was charged with attempted robbery pursuant to General Statutes § 53a-49 (a) (2).8 For a conviction of attempted robbery, the state must prove that the defendant possessed the requisite mental state and took a substantial step in committing a robbery. General Statutes § 53a-49 (a) (2). Specifically, the state must show that the defendant took a substantial step in committing larceny, by attempting to use or threaten force on the victim for the purpose of either (1) “preventing or overcoming resistance to the taking” of property, or (2) compelling the victim to “deliver up” the property. General Statutes § 53a-133 (defining the elements of robbery).9 The court read subdivisions (1) and (2) of the robbery statute, General Statutes § 53a-133, concerning the necessary intent, and then went on to define the other elements such as larceny, intentional conduct, force and threat. The court then reiterated that the jury must determine whether force was used or threatened for either of the two purposes in General Statutes § 53a-133, for preventing or overcoming resistance to a taking or for compelling another to deliver up the property.
[36]*36The state presented evidence showing that the defendant pressed a gun to the victim’s stomach, led him into an alley, attempted to take the victim’s wallet and struggled with the victim. Thus, there was sufficient evidence for the jury reasonably to conclude that there was an attempt to force the victim to deliver up his property. Therefore, the court properly instructed the jury on the robbery statute. See, e.g., State v. John, supra; State v. Pelletier, 209 Conn. 564, 575-76, 552 A.2d 805 (1989); State v. Scott, 20 Conn. App. 513, 517, 568 A.2d 1048, cert. denied, 214 Conn. 802, 573 A.2d 316 (1990); State v. Horne, 19 Conn. App. 111, 562 A.2d 43 (1989), rev’d on other grounds, 215 Conn. 538, 577 A.2d 694 (1990).
The judgment is affirmed.
In this opinion the other judges concurred.