UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 03-6241 GEORGE STOKES, Petitioner - Appellant, versus

JAMES V. PEGUESE, Warden; ATTORNEY GENERAL OF

THE STATE OF MARYLAND, a/k/a Joseph Curran,

Jr., Respondents - Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of

Maryland, at Greenbelt. Peter J. Messitte, District Judge. (CA-

-2432-PJM)

Submitted: April 17, 2003 Decided: April 24, 2003

Before WIDENER, WILLIAMS, and MOTZ, Circuit Judges.

Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.

George Stokes, Appellant Pro Se. John Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney

General, Ann Norman Bosse, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MARYLAND, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellees.

Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.

See Local Rule 36(c).

PER CURIAM

George Stokes seeks to appeal the district court’s order denying relief on his petition filed under 28 U.S.C. 2254 (2000).

We have reviewed the record and conclude for the reasons stated by the district court that Stokes has not made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right. See Stokes v. Peguese , No. CA-02-2432-PJM (D. Md. Jan. 23, 2003). Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal. See U.S.C. § 2253(c) (2000). 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