1. Whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit erred
in refusing to grant petitioner a COA to appeal from a judgment of
the District Court denying Federal Habeas relief?

2. Whether a Fourteenth Amend, due process claim of prosecutorial-
misconduct can be predicated on a prosecutor's prejudicial use of a
jigsaw puzzle (depicting a gun) to explain the "reasonable doubt"
standard (in a case involving a shooting) notwithstanding the lack
of Supreme Court precedant condemning the act?

3. Whether a Sixth Amend, claim of Ineffective Assistance of trial
counsel can be predicated upon an attorney's failure to object (on
basis of state law grounds) to prosecutorial misconduct in a state
court proceeding* although the instances of prosecutorial conduct
itself, are insufficient to establish a due process violation under
the Federal Constitution?

Whether the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit erred in refusing to grant petitioner a COA to appeal from a judgment of the District Court denying Federal Habeas relief?