Koon v. South Carolina
Docket: No. 05-6957
Court: Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; August 26, 2005; Federal Appellate Court
Robert Holland Koon, a prisoner from South Carolina, is appealing the district court’s denial of his petition for relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The appeal requires a certificate of appealability from a circuit justice or judge, as stipulated by 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1). Such a certificate will not be issued unless there is a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right, as outlined in 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). To meet this standard, Koon must demonstrate that reasonable jurists could debate both his constitutional claims and any procedural rulings made by the district court. After a thorough review of the record, the court found that Koon did not satisfy this standard. Consequently, the court denies the certificate of appealability and dismisses the appeal. Oral argument was deemed unnecessary as the facts and legal issues are adequately presented in the existing materials. The appeal is dismissed.