1. Whether the district court erred in summarily denying an
evidentiary hearing on claims that trial counsel was
constitutionally ineffective for failing to call two prepared defense
witnesses whose testimony was central to the defense.

2. Whether the standard for granting a COA under 28 U.S.C. §
2253(c), as clarified in Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322 (2003),
was misapplied by the Eighth Circuit, thereby precluding
meaningful appellate review of substantial constitutional claims.

Whether the district court erred in summarily denying an evidentiary hearing on claims of ineffective assistance of counsel and whether the Eighth Circuit misapplied the standard for granting a Certificate of Appealability