UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 97-7792

RALPH WALKER,

Petitioner - Appellant,

versus

RONALD J. ANGELONE,

Respondent - Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at Alexandria. Leonie M. Brinkema, District Judge. (CA-97-1669-AM)

Submitted: November 19, 1998 Decided: December 1, 1998

Before HAMILTON and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges, and BUTZNER, Senior Circuit Judge.

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

Ralph Walker, Appellant Pro Se.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See Local Rule 36(c). PER CURIAM:

Ralph Walker seeks to appeal the district court’s order deny-

ing his petition filed under

(West 1994 & Supp.

1998). We have reviewed the record and the district court’s opinion

and find no reversible error. The district court denied relief on

Walker’s § 2254 petition, finding that it was untimely filed.

Walker failed to challenge the district court’s finding in his

informal brief and therefore has not preserved the issue for our

review. See 4th Cir. R. 34(b). Accordingly, we deny a certificate

of appealability and dismiss the appeal. 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

2