" 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 healthful food to Twinkies and other sugary foods 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
the murders
Moscone–Milk assassinations
Twinkie