THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE.� IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 239(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

The State,�Respondent,

v.

Vernard Jerome Mathis,�Appellant.

Appeal From Lancaster County
Paul E. Short, Jr., Circuit Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2005-UP-375
Submitted June 1, 2005 � Filed June 13, 2005

APPEAL DISMISSED

Assistant Appellate Defender Robert M. Dudek, of Columbia, for Appellant.

Attorney General Henry Dargan McMaster, Chief Deputy Attorney General John W. McIntosh, and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Donald J. Zelenka, all of Columbia; and Solicitor John R. Justice, of Chester, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM:� Vernard Jerome Mathis was convicted of murder, first degree burglary, two counts of kidnapping, and armed robbery.� He was sentenced to life imprisonment for each charge.� Mathis�s appellate counsel filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).� Counsel additionally submitted a petition to be relieved from representation, asserting there are no directly appealable issues of arguable merit.� Mathis filed a pro se response with the Court.

After a review of the record pursuant to Anders and State v. Williams, 305 S.C. 116, 406 S.E.2d 357 (1991), we dismiss the appeal and grant counsel�s petition to be relieved.[1]

APPEAL DISMISSED.

ANDERSON, STILWELL, and WILLIAMS, JJ., concur.

[1] We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to Rule 215, SCACR.