THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

The State,        Respondent,

v.

Billy Ray Henson,        Appellant.

Appeal From Spartanburg County
J. Derham Cole, Circuit Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2003-UP-551
Submitted July 15, 2003 – Filed September 25, 2003

APPEAL DISMISSED

Assistant Appellate Defender Aileen P. Clare, of Columbia, for Appellant.

Attorney General Henry Dargan McMaster, Chief Deputy Attorney General John W. McIntosh and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Charles H. Richardson, all of Columbia; and Solicitor Harold W. Gowdy, III, of Spartanburg, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM:  Billy Ray Henson was indicted for armed robbery.  The jury found him guilty as charged.  The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  Henson’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.  Henson 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.

HEARN, C.J., CONNOR and ANDERSON, JJ., concur.