                              UNPUBLISHED

                   UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                       FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT



                              No. 97-7647



BENJAMIN WALKER PERKINS,

                                             Petitioner - Appellant,

          versus


CHARLES E. THOMPSON, Warden; RONALD ANGELONE,
Director, Virginia Department of Corrections;
STAUNTON CORRECTIONAL CENTER,

                                            Respondents - Appellees.



Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western Dis-
trict of Virginia, at Roanoke. Samuel G. Wilson, Chief District
Judge. (CA-96-879-R)


Submitted:   April 16, 1998                 Decided:   April 29, 1998


Before WILKINS and HAMILTON, Circuit Judges, and PHILLIPS, Senior
Circuit Judge.


Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion.


Benjamin Walker Perkins, Appellant Pro Se. Wirt Peebles Marks, IV,
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF VIRGINIA, Richmond, Virginia, for
Appellees.


Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
See Local Rule 36(c).
PER CURIAM:

     Appellant seeks to appeal the district court's order denying

relief on his petition filed under 28 U.S.C.A. § 2254 (West 1994 &

Supp. 1997). We have reviewed the record and the district court's

opinion and find no reversible error. Accordingly, we deny a cer-

tificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal on the reasoning
of the district court. Perkins v. Thompson, No. CA-96-879-R (W.D.
Va. Sept. 22, 1997). We deny Appellant's motion for the appointment

of counsel and 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




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