Jesse Willard v. People of the State of California

MERRILL, Circuit Judge:

Jesse Willard, a state prisoner convicted of robbery, appeals the district court’s dismissal of his petition for a writ of habeas corpus. Willard argues that the state trial court’s erroneous jury instructions denied him due process of law and that his trial counsel’s performance violated his Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel. We affirm.

I. FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS BELOW

In August 1982, Jesse Wiilard was convicted of robbery and sentenced to six years in state prison. 1 At trial, the prosecution’s case centered largely on the testimony of the victim,…