Case Name: Makandi L. TERRY, Petitioner-Appellant, v. WARDEN EVANS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, Respondent-Appellee
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2018-03-06
Citations: 713 F. App'x 236
Docket Number: No. 17-7246
Parties: Makandi L. TERRY, Petitioner-Appellant, v. WARDEN EVANS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, Respondent-Appellee.
Judges: Before MOTZ, KEENAN, and DIAZ, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 713
Pages: 236–237

Head Matter:
Makandi L. TERRY, Petitioner-Appellant, v. WARDEN EVANS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, Respondent-Appellee.
No. 17-7246
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.
Submitted: February 22, 2018
Decided: March 6, 2018
Makandi L. Terry, Appellant Pro Se. Donald John Zelenka, Deputy Attorney General, Caroline M. Scrantom, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Columbia, South Carolina, for Appellee.
Before MOTZ, KEENAN, and DIAZ, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
PER CURIAM:
Makandi L. Terry seeks to appeal the district court's order denying relief on his 28 U.S.C. § 2254 (2012) petition. The order is not appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1)(A) (2012).'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) (2012). When the district court denies relief on the merits, a prisoner satisfies this standard by demonstrating that reasonable jurists would find that the district court's assessment of the constitutional claims is debatable or wrong. Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 (2000); see Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 336-38, 123 S.Ct. 1029, 154 L.Ed.2d 931 (2003). When the district court denies relief on procedural grounds, the prisoner must demonstrate both that the dispositive procedural ruling is debatable, and that the petition states a debatable claim of the denial of a constitutional right. Slack, 529 U.S. at 484-85, 120 S.Ct. 1595.
We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Terry has not made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability, deny leave to proceed in forma pauperis, deny Terry's motion for appointment of counsel, and dismiss the appeal. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.
DISMISSED