Opinion ID: 757029
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Leave to File Successive Petition Denied

Text: 21 Although Corrao's 1997 petition is successive, we will construe Corrao's pending motion for a COA as a motion for leave to file a successive petition. Concluding that the claims Corrao asserts in his 1997 petition should have been raised in his 1995 petition, we deny this motion. 22 We will certify a second or successive § 2255 petition for filing in the district court only if it contains: (1) newly discovered evidence that, when viewed in light of the evidence as a whole, would affect the outcome of the case; or (2) a new rule of constitutional law that was previously unavailable and made retroactive to cases on collateral review. See 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (Supp.1998). 23 In his 1997 petition, Corrao has shown neither newly discovered evidence nor a new rule of constitutional law that would affect his case. Instead, Corrao merely asserts that he was denied effective assistance of counsel at sentencing and on direct appeal. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); United States v. Coffin, 76 F.3d 494, 498 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 517 U.S. 1147, 116 S.Ct. 1445, 134 L.Ed.2d 565 (1996). Corrao obtained new counsel before filing his 1995 petition. The evidence for the ineffective assistance claim Corrao now asserts in his 1997 petition (the sentencing transcript and PSR) was certainly available at the time of his 1995 petition. Accordingly, we deny the motion for leave to file a successive petition.