Whether the court of appeals improperly denied the Petitioner a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) on his ineffective assistance of counsel claim based on an unreasonable application of Strickland v. Washington

PR ESENTED FOR REVIEW 1. Whether the court of appeal s improperl y denied the Petitioner a certi ficate of appeal ability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) on his claim that the state court’s denial of hi s ineffecti ve assistance of counsel claims – premi sed on a fi nding that the Petitioner was not prejudi ced by the ineffecti veness – was based on an unreasonabl e application of Strickland v. Washington , 466 U .S. 668 (1984). 2. Whether a freestanding claim of actual innocence is cogni zable in a 28 U.S.C. § 2254 proceedi ng. ii B. PAR TIES INVOLVED The parti es involved are i denti fied in the styl e of the case. iii