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UNITED STATES v. BENN (2021)

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.2021-04-13No. No. 20-6639

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Opinion

Alton Benn seeks to appeal the district courts order accepting the recommendation of the magistrate judge, following an evidentiary hearing, and denying relief on Benns 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion. The order is not appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. See 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1)(B). 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). When the district court denies relief on the merits, a prisoner satisfies this standard by demonstrating that reasonable jurists could find the district courts assessment of the constitutional claims debatable or wrong. See Buck v. Davis, ––– U.S. ––––, 137 S. Ct. 759, 773-74, 197 L.Ed.2d 1 (2017). When the district court denies relief on procedural grounds, the prisoner must demonstrate both that the dispositive procedural ruling is debatable and that the motion states a debatable claim of the denial of a constitutional right. Gonzalez v. Thaler, 565 U.S. 134, 140-41, 132 S.Ct. 641, 181 L.Ed.2d 619 (2012) (citing Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 (2000)).

We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Benn has not made the requisite showing. Benn has not established that counsel was ineffective based on allegations that he briefly nodded off during trial or that he failed to impeach witnesses; Benns claim regarding counsels failure to object to the use of the 2011 Sentencing Guidelines Manual was not raised in a timely manner. Accordingly, we deny Benns motion for a certificate of appealability; deny Benns motions for production of documents, transcripts, and grand jury records; 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

PER CURIAM:

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.