Warning

Info

Warning

Info

Warning

Info

LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

Twinkie defense

Read a random definition: payment in due course

A quick definition of Twinkie defense:

The Twinkie defense is when a person accused of a crime says that they did it because they ate too much sugary food, like Twinkies. This argument was used in a famous trial in 1979, and it worked to get the person a lighter punishment. Some people think this is not a good defense, and the law has been changed so that it can't be used as much anymore. The term "Twinkie defense" is also used to describe other strange defenses that people use in court.

A more thorough explanation:

The Twinkie defense is a legal strategy that uses an unconventional argument to defend a defendant in a criminal trial. The term originated from the 1979 trial of Dan White, a San Francisco politician, who was charged with first-degree murder. During the trial, a psychiatrist testified that White's consumption of sugary foods, such as Twinkies, could lead to diminished capacity. White's lawyer used this testimony to argue that White lacked the premeditation and deliberation elements necessary to establish first-degree murder. As a result, White was convicted of a lighter offense of involuntary manslaughter.

The legitimacy of Twinkie defenses has been debated. After White's trial, the California legislature amended its penal code to soften the intent requirements for first-degree murder, so subsequent defendants could not rely on the Twinkie defense. The term "Twinkie defense" has been used in various contexts, such as describing "outrageous" medical-related defenses. The term has also been associated with a defendant's right to choose their own counsel.

Imagine a person is on trial for stealing a car. Their lawyer argues that they were sleepwalking at the time of the theft and, therefore, should not be held responsible for their actions. This is an example of a Twinkie defense because it is an unconventional argument that seeks to diminish the defendant's responsibility for their actions.

turncoat witness | Tying arrangement

Warning

Info

General

General chat about the legal profession.
main_chatroom
👍 Chat vibe: 0 👎
Help us make LSD better!
Tell us what's important to you
THATS SO FUNNY
i cant i would go crazy
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
i need to know who decided to do that.
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
omg im on a plane weeeee
the devil
youre on a plane??? LSD made the mile high club??
20:50
yo splitterus are you in school already
20:50
it says ur c/o 2027
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:51
@SplitterusClitterus: HAHAH yes
ur user is hilarioussss and no i just graduated this may and am now applying ---also im out of messages so ill take a lil
20:52
roger dat. see u in heck
im back, r u applying this cycle too
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
this child fell asleep on me
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
im so uncomfortable
just push him off the entire seat
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:34
LMAOOOO
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
no he’s literally like 8 and he fully just put his head on my bicep and slept
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
he has since moved
22:12
@SplitterusClitterus: me yesterday
gulc baby pls text me back... i miss you ...... :(
22:23
i just went into a discord vc and yelled "YALL I JUST GOT INTO J.M. SCHOOL OF LAW"
22:24
people were getting excited :sob:
22:25
then someone was like "what does jm stand for" and i was like .. well
AHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH
@JumpySubsequentDolphin: wait this is so cute, also where r u going
JOE MBIDEN
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:39
@splitty Oregon!
oh yay for what thats so random
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:45
haha my brother and sister in law live there
so cutie oregon is beatiful
LSD+ is ad-free, with DMs, discounts, case briefs & more.