Question

In the trial of Dan White, what did his defense successfully argue regarding his mental state?

A) White's attorneys claimed that Twinkies made him commit the murders.
B) White's attorneys argued his diminished capacity due to severe depression, with Twinkies cited as evidence of his depression.
C) White's attorneys argued that he was not mentally ill.
D) White's attorneys argued that he was influenced by external factors unrelated to his mental state.

Answer 1

Dan White's defense argued diminished capacity due to depression, not that Twinkies caused him to commit murder, with Twinkies used as evidence of his altered state.

Step-by-step explanation:

Trial of Dan White and His Mental State

In the trial of Dan White, the defense did not claim that Twinkies made White commit the murders. Instead, White's attorneys argued his diminished capacity due to severe depression, and they mentioned his consumption of Twinkies as evidence of his changed behavior and depression. Hence, the correct answer to the question is B) White's attorneys argued his diminished capacity due to severe depression, with Twinkies cited as evidence of his depression. The argument was part of a broader defense strategy to demonstrate White's altered mental state and to seek a lesser charge than first-degree murder.