Behind the Twinkie Defense

from truthdig:



Behind the Twinkie Defense

Posted on Nov 17, 2012
By Paul Krassner


The apparent demise of the Twinkie brings back memories for me.

A dozen police cars had been set on fire, which in turn set off their alarms, underscoring the angry shouts from 5,000 understandably angry gays. This was in 1979. I had been covering the trial of Dan White for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. The ex-cop and supervisor had confessed to killing Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

Dale Metcalf, a former Merry Prankster who had become a lawyer, told me how he happened to be playing chess with a friend, Steven Scherr, one of White’s attorneys. Metcalf had just read “Orthomolecular Nutrition” by Abram Hoffer. Metcalf questioned Scherr about White’s diet and learned that, while under stress, White would consume candy bars and soft drinks. Metcalf recommended the book to Scherr, suggesting the author as an expert witness. After all, in his book, Hoffer revealed a personal vendetta against doughnuts, and White had once eaten five doughnuts in a row.

Hoffer didn’t testify, but his influence permeated the courtroom. White’s defense team presented that biochemical explanation of his behavior, blaming it on compulsive gobbling down of sugar-filled junk food. Psychiatrist Martin Blinder testified that on the night before the killings, White “just sat there in front of the TV set, binging on Twinkies.” Another psychiatrist stated, “If not for the aggravating fact of junk food, the homicides might not have taken place.” ......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/behind_the_twinkie_defense_20121117/