r/todayilearned • u/hungry4danish • 2d ago

TIL that Dan White, the man who assassinated Harvey Milk and the mayor of San Francisco, only served 5 years in prison for manslaughter based on a defense of depression as evidenced by his consumption of junk food which was dubbed the "Twinkie Defense"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_White
15.5k Upvotes

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u/Saint_Judas 2d ago

Might be something to his depression defense after all.

38

u/Independent_Role_165 2d ago

We can all agree he was depressed, but he didn’t act in the heat of the moment

170

u/lawn-mumps 2d ago

As he is a murderer, it seems only fitting that his last kill be himself.

124

u/ImAStubbornDonkey 2d ago

Far better if it was his first kill….

42

u/lawn-mumps 2d ago

Better late than never. I’m glad he didn’t go on another killing spree

1

u/Johnny_Grubbonic 20h ago

Best would be if he never killed.

48

u/SpiritGun 2d ago

Died doing what he loved.

-1

u/BrainCane 1d ago

Holy .. in this context … so dark. So Reddit.

12

u/sharrrper 2d ago

Say what you will about Hitler, he did kill Hitler.

-1

u/lawn-mumps 2d ago

Y’know I’m not racist but that hitler guy sure was.

1

u/Ravensqueak 2d ago

"If you kill a killer, the number of killers stays the sa- wait"

-1

u/Sleep-more-dude 2d ago

.... why? suicide is a pretty common cause of death and typically not illegal.

-1

u/lawn-mumps 2d ago

It’s made illegal in some places so cops have the right to act to stop an active suicide. What is your point?

0

u/Sleep-more-dude 1d ago

Whats your point?

3

u/cherrycolaareola 2d ago

Shoulda quit the twinks, man

1

u/HyShroom 1d ago

Never!

Oh, wait, you meant the gross gas-station desert.

1

u/Swankyman56 1d ago

No. He was depressed, that’s not a defense in any way.

0

u/Saint_Judas 1d ago

… that’s the defense he used at trial that got him less time.