"
Twinkie defense" is a derisive label for an improbable
legal defense. It is not a recognized legal defense in
jurisprudence, but a catchall 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. His change in diet from healthy food to
Twinkies and other sugary food was said to be a symptom of depression. Contrary to common belief, White's attorneys did not argue that the Twinkies were the cause of White's actions, but that their consumption was symptomatic of his underlying depression. White was convicted of
voluntary manslaughter.