UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 97-6103

DENNIE LEE RANKINS, Plaintiff - Appellant, versus

DAVID L. BEARD, JR.; VERNICE B. HOWARD; BRUCE L. DAUGHTRY, Defendants - Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern Dis- trict of North Carolina, at Raleigh. Malcolm J. Howard, District Judge. (CA-96-1043-5-H)

Submitted: May 29, 1997 Decided: June 10, 1997

Before NIEMEYER, LUTTIG, and MOTZ, Circuit Judges.

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

Dennie Lee Rankins, Appellant Pro Se.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

See Local Rule 36(c).

PER CURIAM: Appellant, a South Carolina inmate, appeals the district court's order denying relief on his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (1994) complaint under 28 U.S.C.A. § 1915A (West Supp. 1997). We have reviewed the record and the district court's opinion and find that this appeal is frivolous. Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal on the reasoning of the district court. Rankins v. Beard, No. CA-96-1043- 5-H (E.D.N.C. Jan. 6, 1997). We grant Appellant's motion to amend his informal brief, and deny his motion for a transcript at govern- ment expense. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

DISMISSED