UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 03-6443
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff - Appellee,
versus
ANTONIO PIERRE SHUFFORD,
Defendant - Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of North Carolina, at Wilmington. James C. Fox, Senior
District Judge. (CR-01-82, CA-02-174-7-F1)
Submitted: June 30, 2003 Decided: August 20, 2003
Before MOTZ, KING, and SHEDD, Circuit Judges.
Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Antonio Pierre Shufford, Appellant Pro Se. Winnie Jordan Reaves,
Assistant United States Attorney, Raleigh, North Carolina, for
Appellee.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
See Local Rule 36(c).
PER CURIAM:
Antonio Pierre Shufford appeals from the orders of the
district court denying relief on his motions filed pursuant to 28
U.S.C. § 2255 (2000), and Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e). He preserved for
this appeal only his claim that his counsel provided ineffective
assistance. See 4th Cir. R. 34(b). This court may only grant a
certificate of appealability if the appellant makes a substantial
showing of the denial of a constitutional right. 28 U.S.C.
§ 2253(c)(2) (2000). The relevant inquiry is whether “‘reasonable
jurists would find the district court’s assessment of the
constitutional claims debatable or wrong.’” Miller-El v. Cockrell,
123 S. Ct. 1029, 1040 (2003) (quoting Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S.
473, 484 (2000)). We have independently reviewed the record and
conclude that Shufford has failed to make this showing.
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
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