Twinkie Defense
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
"Twinkie defense" is a derisive label for an improbable legal defense. It is not a recognized legal defense in jurisprudence, but a catch-all term coined by reporters during their coverage of the trial of defendant Dan White for the murders of San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. White's defense was that he suffered diminished capacity as a result of his depression.
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"Twinkie defense" is a derisive label for an improbable legal defense. It is not a recognized legal defense in jurisprudence, but a catch-all term coined by reporters during their coverage of the trial.
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The Twinkie Defense originates from the 1979 Dan White case, where the defense argued that a high-sugar diet led to emotional instability, seeking a lighter sentence, which was later simplified by the media as a ridiculous excuse. It refers both to a flimsy justification and warns against misreading defenses.
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkie_defenseverified
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