Martin Blinder, Psychiatrist Tied to 1979 'Twinkie Defense,' Dies

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 6

Martin Blinder, the forensic psychiatrist widely linked to the "Twinkie Defense," has died, according to the New York Times.
1979 testimony in Dan White's murder trial made him infamous after he described White's depression and his turn to sugary foods including Twinkies and Coca-Cola.
White had confessed to killing San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk on Nov. 27, 1978, but his lawyers argued diminished capacity from stress and depression.
A passing reference to junk food came to define Blinder's public legacy, even though his broader testimony focused on White's mental state in one of California's most notorious trials.

Sources

What role did the misunderstood 'Twinkie defense' truly play in igniting one of San Francisco's most historic civil rights riots?

Why is the pioneer behind America's first public smoking ban remembered almost entirely for a misunderstood murder trial defense?

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