THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

The State,        Respondent,

v.

James Michael Lucas,        Appellant.

Appeal From Lexington County
R. Markley Dennis, Jr., Circuit Court Judge

Opinion No.  2003-UP-103
Submitted November 20, 2002 - Filed February 5, 2003 

APPEAL DISMISSED

Deputy Chief Attorney Joseph L. Savitz, III, of Columbia; for Appellant

Attorney General Henry Dargan McMaster, Chief Deputy Attorney General John W. McIntosh, Assistant Deputy Attorney General Charles H. Richardson, all of Columbia; Donald V. Myers, of Lexington; for Respondent(s).

PER CURIAM:  James Michael Lucas appeals his conviction for murder.  The trial judge sentenced Lucas to life imprisonment.

Pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), counsel for Lucas attached to the final brief a petition to be relieved as counsel, stating he had reviewed the record and concluded Lucas’ appeal is without legal merit sufficient to warrant a new trial.  Lucas filed a separate pro se response.

After a thorough 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.

APPEAL DISMISSED.

CONNOR, STILWELL, and HOWARD, JJ., concur.