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When you’ve been charged with a crime, finding the best way to defend against the accusations is the most important thing a defense attorney can do. Though the majority of Baytown criminal lawyers use traditional defense strategies, some attorneys choose to use more creative strategies. The strategies aren’t always successful, but they’re interesting! Twinkie Defense The defense attorney didn’t actually argue that Twinkies caused his client to murder two people, but in the 1979 murder trial of Dan White, attorneys argued that White suffered diminished mental capacity due to junk food. The defense said White was depressed and a blood sugar spike due to eating junk food caused White to snap and murder Harvey Milk and George Moscone. White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. PMS Defense A Virginia surgeon was able to escape a drunk-driving conviction by using a premenstrual syndrome defense. In the 1991 case, the doctor’s attorney said his client’s blood alcohol content was skewed, because she held her breath, and another doctor testified that the woman’s conduct on the night of her arrest was consistent with PMS. ‘Roid Rage Defense Several people, including famed Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, have used a ‘roid rage defense in murder cases. The nicknamed Blade Runner, Pistorius, killed his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Police found anabolic steroids in his home the night they responded to a shooting at his home. The general theory is that frequent steroid use leads to uncontrollable outbursts of anger and hostility. Pistorius was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison, but his case was not the first use of the ‘roid rage defense. It’s also been used in U.S. courts. In 1993, bodybuilder Gordon Kimbrough’s attorneys argued that his frequent steroid use drove him to kill his girlfriend. Kimbrough was charged with first degree murder and given a 27-year to life sentence. A creative defense can be a useful strategy in some cases. Baytown criminal lawyers have a variety of defense strategies they use to assist their clients.
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