Twinkie defence

noun

A legal defense of diminished responsibility based on a claim that irregular behavior is caused by a poor diet or junk food.

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Meanings

nounTwinkie defence (plural Twinkie defences)

plural Twinkie defences · alternative Twinkie defense

  1. UScolloquiallawA legal defense of diminished responsibility based on a claim that irregular behavior is caused by a poor diet or junk food.
  2. broadlyAny spurious legal defense.

Origin

From the 1979 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 this depression.

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Cite this entry
APA

Twinkie defence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Twinkie%20defence

MLA

“Twinkie defence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Twinkie%20defence. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Twinkie defence,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Twinkie%20defence.

Source: Twinkie defence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.