The following excerpt is from McSherry v. Block, 880 F.2d 1049 (9th Cir. 1989):
We thus evaluate jury instructions "in the context of the overall charge to the jury as a component of the entire trial process." Prantil v. California, 843 F.2d 314, 317 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 158, 102 L.Ed.2d 129 (1988) (quoting Bashor v. Risley, 730 F.2d 1228, 1239 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 838, 105 S.Ct. 137, 83 L.Ed.2d 77 (1984)). Habeas relief is warranted only if the erroneous instruction "so infected the entire trial that the resulting conviction violates due process." Cupp, 414 U.S. at 147, 94 S.Ct. at 400.
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