THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE.  IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Supreme Court

Eric D. Wallace, Petitioner,

v.

State of South Carolina, Respondent.


Appeal From Richland County
James R. Barber, Plea Judge
G. Thomas Cooper, Jr., Post-Conviction Judge


Memorandum Opinion No.  2011-MO-021
Submitted August 3, 2011 – Filed August 8, 2011 


APPEAL DISMISSED


LaNelle Cantey DuRant, of the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, Division of Appellate Defense, of Columbia, for Petitioner.

Attorney General Alan Wilson, Chief Deputy Attorney General John W. McIntosh, Assistant Deputy Attorney General Salley W. Elliott, and Assistant Attorney General Brian Petrano, all of the Office of the Attorney General, of Columbia, for Respondent.


PER CURIAM:  Petitioner seeks a writ of certiorari from the post-conviction relief (PCR) judge’s affirmative finding that petitioner is entitled to a belated direct appeal.   

Because there is sufficient evidence to support the PCR judge’s finding that petitioner did not knowingly and intelligently waive his right to a direct appeal, we grant certiorari and proceed with a review of the direct appeal issue pursuant to Davis v. State, 288 S.C. 290, 342 S.E.2d 60 (1986).

Counsel for petitioner has filed a brief pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), and a petition to be relieved as counsel.  Petitioner has not filed a pro se response.  After a thorough review of the record pursuant to Anders, supra, we dismiss the appeal and grant the petition to be relieved as counsel. 

DISMISSED.

TOAL, C.J., PLEICONES, BEATTY, KITTREDGE and HEARN, JJ., concur.