UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 02-7661
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
versus
FLOYD RAYMOND LOOKER, a/k/a Ray,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern
District of West Virginia, at Wheeling. Frederick P. Stamp, Jr.,
District Judge. (CR-96-40, CA-99-133-5)
No. 02-7662
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
versus
FLOYD RAYMOND LOOKER, a/k/a Ray,
Defendant - Appellant.
No. 02-7663
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
versus
FLOYD RAYMOND LOOKER, a/k/a Ray,
Defendant - Appellant.
No. 02-7664
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
versus
FLOYD RAYMOND LOOKER, a/k/a Ray,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeals from the United States District Court for the Northern
District of West Virginia, at Clarksburg. Frederick P. Stamp, Jr.,
District Judge. (CR-96-41, CA-99-178-1, CR-96-42, CA-99-180-1, CR-
96-43, CA-99-181-1)
Submitted: March 6, 2003 Decided: March 21, 2003
Before NIEMEYER, MOTZ, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.
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Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Floyd Raymond Looker, Appellant Pro Se. Sherry L. Muncy, OFFICE OF
THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Clarksburg, West Virginia, for
Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
See Local Rule 36(c).
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PER CURIAM:
Floyd Raymond Looker seeks to appeal the district court’s
orders accepting the recommendation of the magistrate judge and
denying relief on his petitions filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2255
(2000). An appeal may not be taken to this court from the final
order in a habeas corpus proceeding 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 for claims
addressed by the district court on the merits absent “a substantial
showing of the denial of a constitutional right.” 28 U.S.C.
§ 2253(c) (2) (2000); see Miller-El v. Cockrell, U.S. , 2003
WL 431659, *10 (U.S. Feb. 25, 2003) (No. 01-7662). As to claims
dismissed by a district court solely on procedural grounds, a
certificate of appealability will not issue unless the petitioner
can demonstrate both “(1) ‘that jurists of reason would find it
debatable whether the petition states a valid claim of the denial
of a constitutional right and (2) ‘that jurists of reason would
find it debatable whether the district court was correct in its
procedural ruling.’” Rose v. Lee, 252 F.3d 676, 684 (4th Cir. 2001)
(quoting Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000)), cert.
denied, 122 S. Ct. 318 (2001). We have independently reviewed the
record and conclude that Looker has not satisfied either standard.
Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability in each appeal
and dismiss the appeals. We dispense with oral argument because
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the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the
materials before the court and argument would not aid the
decisional process.
DISMISSED
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