I Fought The Law

This version of the Bobby Fuller song is about Dan White, a right-wing San Francisco politician who killed Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay politician elected to political office. His lawyers used what would be known as the twinkie defense. White had been in a state of teporary insanity as a result of eating too much junk food. The jury apparently bought it, and he recieved a lighter verdict than probably deserved. The police were on his side and they helped him out.

there is another correction, Dan White did not serve the full seven years of his sentence. he was paroled after five. the dead kennedys were greatly inspired by the revolutionary ideas of the gay liberation movement of the 70s which turned into the reformist ideas of the modern gay rights movement.

Dan White initially resigned his position as he was unhappy with the progressive and liberal city politics in SF, and the appointment of a police chief who was open to homosexuals in the force (Dan White was an ex policeman, and actually left the force soon after he had stopped another officer from beating up a handcuffed black prisoner), and also to concentrate on running a restaurant. When it transipred the restaurant was failing, white asked for his seat back. As White was so opposed to the progressive politics championed by SF City Supervisor Harvey Milk and favoured by Mayor George Moscone, White was denied the re-appointment he requested. The following day, after dodging City Hall's metal detectors by climbing through a window, White shot and killed Moscone and Milk (George and Harvey). After White's trial and lenient sentence, the largely gay community of the Castro district in SF took to the streets in protest. Initially peaceful, the protest soon became aggressive, possibly due to attacks by police who had covered their badge numbers to avoid identification and attacked members of the protest and staged unnoficial raids in known gay bars throughout the district. When the crowd of approximately 5000 reached City Hall, police and security workers were initially unsure of how to react, not expecting the largely gay crowd to retaliate with force, and protest leaders including several of Harvey Milk's friends attempted to calm and hold back the crowd. Once the police had regained composure, these members were attacked by police with truncheons and night sticks despite clearly attempting to disperse the crowd. Further violence broke out on both sides. Acting mayor Dianne Feinstein (whom Jello Biafra ran against in the '79 SF mayoral elections) addressed the crowd and was hit by a flying object. Several police cars were destroyed, as well as many injuries on both sides, dozens of arrests and allegations against the police, and damage to the City Hall building. In the aftermath there were several 'retaliation attacks' by the police force in the gay districts of SF, again concealing their badge numbers. After serving 5 years of his 7 year sentence White returned to San Fransisco, despite a public appeal by Mayor Feinstein asking him not to, and attempted to rekindle his marriage, which swiftly fell apart. Soon after this, Dan White commited suicide, using a garden hose to breathe the carbon monoxide exhaust fumes from his car. The song 'The Town I Loved So Much' by Paddy Reilly was playing on the car's tape deck. Dan White apparently expressed deep remorse for his crimes several times. However, police officer Fank Falzon claims that White told him in 1984 that he planned to kill supervisor Carol Silver and California assemblyman Willy Lewis Brown as well as George and Harvey.

never knew that story, thanks for that bit of trivia... Love this song...

Wow,, awesome song,,

The best explanation of this song and the entire Dan White story is here: backdoor.com/CASTRO/milk/whitepage.html

It's just like the previous poster said, except it also involved some politics, not just the gay issue. White was about to resign his position as supervisor, due to lack of money, when the conservative police order offered financial assistance. The mayor, who knew White was a major conservative roadblock to his re-election and liberal policies, decided to not let White take back his decision. Enraged, White broke into City Hall and shot both the mayor and Milk execution style. Upon hearing the news, the SF cops cheered. The prosecution presented a weak case and the Twinkie Defense got White only 7 years jail on a manslaughter charge. Upon doing his full sentence in jail, he was released, and comitted suicide shortly thereafter.

If I recall correctly, the Clash covered the original song -- I Fought the Law (And The Law Won) by The Crickets. The Dead Kennedys' version is heavily modified to explain the Dan White story.

I didn't mean to imply that the murders were based on sexual orientation.

I prefer this to the Clash version. More attitude. The Clash still kick ass though. Never heard the original.

According to the Give Me Convenience CD booklet, this song was released as a handout to protesters at Dan White's prison release.

Dan White should have been strung up.