Peeler v. Bazzle

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Peeler v. Bazzle, 122 F. App'x 46 (4th Cir. 2005)

Peeler v. Bazzle

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Clifton Harris seeks to appeal the district court’s order adopting the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation and granting the Government’s motion for summary judgment and dismissing his petition as procedurally defaulted under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (2000). The order is not appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1) (2000). A certificate of appealability will not issue absent “a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2) (2000). A prisoner satisfies this standard by demonstrating that reasonable jurists would find that his constitutional claims are debatable and that any dispositive procedural rulings by the district court are also debatable or wrong. See Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 336, 123 S.Ct. 1029, 154 L.Ed.2d 931 (2003); Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 (2000); Rose v. Lee, 252 F.3d 676, 683 (4th Cir. 2001). We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Harris has not made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny Harris’ motion to amend his § 2254 petition, 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

Reference

Full Case Name
Clifton HARRIS, Petitioner—Appellant, v. E. Richard BAZZLE, Warden; Henry Dargan McMaster, Attorney General of South Carolina, Respondents—Appellees
Status
Unpublished