Case Name: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Perry L. COLTER, Defendant-Appellant
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2004-12-06
Citations: 117 F. App'x 234
Docket Number: No. 04-6983
Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff—Appellee, v. Perry L. COLTER, Defendant—Appellant.
Judges: Before NIEMEYER, MICHAEL, and KING, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: West's Federal Appendix
Volume: 117
Pages: 234–236

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff—Appellee, v. Perry L. COLTER, Defendant—Appellant.
No. 04-6983.
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.
Submitted: Oct. 22, 2004.
Decided: Dec. 6, 2004.
Perry L. Colter, Appellant pro se.
Before NIEMEYER, MICHAEL, and KING, Circuit Judges.
Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See Local Rule 36(c).

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
Perry L. Colter, a federal prisoner, seeks to appeal the district court's order denying relief on his motion to vacate judgment pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (2000), which Colter attempted to bring under Fed.R.Civ.P. 60(b). An appeal may not be taken from the final order in a
§ 2255 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 a district court 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 both 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 Colter has not made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal.
Additionally, we construe Colter's notice of appeal and informal brief on appeal as an application to file a second or successive § 2255 motion. See United States v. Winestock, 340 F.3d 200, 208 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, 540 U.S. 995, 124 S.Ct. 496, 157 L.Ed.2d 395 (2003). In order to obtain authorization to file a successive § 2255 motion, a prisoner must assert claims based on either: (1) a new rule of constitutional law, previously unavailable, made retroactive by the Supreme Court to cases on collateral review; or (2) newly discovered evidence sufficient to establish that no reasonable fact finder would have found the movant guilty. 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(3)(C), 2255 (2000). Colter's claim does not satisfy either of these conditions. Therefore, we decline to authorize Colter to file a successive § 2255 motion. 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