Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit October 23, 2002, 02-4 (Joseph Earl Bates v. R.C. Lee, Warden, Central Prison, Raleigh, North Carolina)

Affirmed by published opinion. Chief Judge WILKINSON wrote the opinion, in which Judge WIDENER and Senior Judge HAMILTON joined.

OPINION

WILKINSON, Chief Judge.

Appellant Joseph Earl Bates was sentenced to death for the murder of Charles Edwin Jenkins. Bates does not contest the fact that he committed the murder.