Norman Johnson v. Rick White ( 2023 )


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  • USCA4 Appeal: 23-6925      Doc: 18         Filed: 12/19/2023    Pg: 1 of 2
    UNPUBLISHED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
    No. 23-6925
    NORMAN TRENT JOHNSON,
    Petitioner - Appellant,
    v.
    RICK WHITE, Warden,
    Respondent - Appellee.
    Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at
    Richmond. Henry E. Hudson, Senior District Judge. (3:23-cv-00473-HEH-MRC)
    Submitted: December 14, 2023                                Decided: December 19, 2023
    Before GREGORY and RUSHING, Circuit Judges, and MOTZ, Senior Circuit Judge.
    Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
    Norman Trent Johnson, Appellant Pro Se.
    Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
    USCA4 Appeal: 23-6925      Doc: 18         Filed: 12/19/2023     Pg: 2 of 2
    PER CURIAM:
    Norman Trent Johnson seeks to appeal the district court’s order dismissing his 
    28 U.S.C. § 2254
     petition as an unauthorized, successive § 2254 petition. The order is not
    appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. See 
    28 U.S.C. § 2253
    (c)(1)(A). 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, as here,
    the district court denies relief on procedural grounds, the prisoner must demonstrate both
    that the dispositive procedural ruling is debatable and that the petition states a debatable
    claim of the denial of a constitutional right. Gonzalez v. Thaler, 
    565 U.S. 134
    , 140-41
    (2012) (citing Slack v. McDaniel, 
    529 U.S. 473
    , 484 (2000)).
    We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Johnson has not
    made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny Johnson’s motions to amend the
    judgment and for a certificate of appealability, 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
    2
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 23-6925

Filed Date: 12/19/2023

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 12/20/2023