The dumbbell defense is the legal strategy of blaming criminal acts on the psychological effects of anabolic steroids. The criminal defenses of “steroid addiction” and “steroid-induced cognitive deficits” and “steroid facilitated rage reaction” are all variations of the “dumbbell defense.” Most of the time, judges and juries reject being “pumped full of steroids” as a legitimate excuse absolving a defendant of responsbility for a crime. But sometimes it works.
The dumbbell defense was successful in the case of Michael D. Williams, who was a competitive bodybuilder in the 1980s that broke into six homes and set fire to three of them. Williams was acquitted of his crimes because the judge believed “toxic levels of anabolic steroids” resulted in a mental disorder which meant he could not be criminally responsible for his actions.
The case of Maryland vs. Michael D. Williams (1986) was cited by Yesalis and Bahrke in their article on the psychological and behavioral effects of steroids reprinted on MESO-Rx; I found additional information on this case in a recent news story about a man who was fired when he was caught injecting steroids in the workplace.
In 1986, a Prince George’s judge ruled that a prize-winning bodybuilder stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station could not be held criminally responsible on charges of breaking into six St. Mary’s homes and setting three of them on fire. The judge concurred with the defendant’s lawyers that he was suffering from a mental disorder caused by the toxic levels of anabolic steroids he had taken to win bodybuilding contests.
The fact that the dumbbell defense has worked in the past explains why it is routinely used when defendants on trial for various crimes happen to use anabolic steroids.
The defense attorney for Roberto Pulido blamed anabolic steroids for a long list of crimes committed as part of a police corruption scandal. Pulido claims that being “pumped full of steroids” caused him to get involved in transporting cocaine into Boston. He claims that his steroid addiction made him exaggerate many of his behaviors.
Roberto Pulido and his public defender would like you to believe that anabolic steroids caused or contributed to the following criminal behavior. Why take responsibility for any crime when you can blame steroids?
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Pulido “knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated and agreed… with other persons, known and unknown, to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, a quantity or mixture of a substance containing cocaine” in excess of 140 kilograms.
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Pulido obtained identifying information for the identity theft ring, including name, address, date of birth and social security number of identity theft victims. Pulido used Boston Police Department computers to access Registry of Motor vehicle database and pull identifying information on expensive vehicles he observed while on duty. Pulido said, “it’s easy for me, I just run people’s plates, you know. I go look for fucking fancy ass cars and fucking run ‘em like Brookline and Cambridge…”
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Pulido purchased fraudulent gift cards in amounts in excess of $100,000 at 50 cents on the dollar. He used the gift cards himself and sold other gift cards at a profit.
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Pulido provided protection for approximately 50-60 after-hours narcotics and prostitution parties where nude dancers and prostitutes often sold sexual favors including lap dances, fellatio and sexual intercourse. Pulido wanted to expand into protecting “water parties” where bottled water and ecstasy were sold in combination.
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Pulido planted narcotics and a gun in the vehicle of a former business partner, had him arrested during which he had his home robbed of $40,000. Pulido threatened another business partner saying “…if the dog is out and he tries to attackus, half of the dog is gonna be hung on the front door and the other half is gonna be hung on the rear door… Don’t let it go personal. If you want to make it personal, after the dog it will be your wife, then it’ll be your mother, then it’ll be your brother, and it’ll be your unborn child.” Pulido, in full military gear, physically assaulted an individual he suspected of stealing his car stereo stating.
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Pulido cashed illegal alien’s checks for a 10% money laundering fee.
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Pulido attempted to sell his girlfriend’s truck to a “chop-shop” and filed a false police report claiming it was stolen in order to collect reimbursement from his insurance company in a case of insurance fraud.
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Pulido smuggled illegal aliens into the country for $5,000 per person.
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Pulido gave up sensitive information on his fellow officers at the Boston Police Department to individuals outside the department.
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Pulido aided and abetted loan sharking.
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Pulido trafficked in stolen electronics.
Apparently steroid use by police officers is the least of our worries; a bigger threat to the public safety is police corruption. Unless, of course, you believe that anabolic steroids are the root of all evil when it comes to police corruption!
I’m reminded that criminal defenses of “steroid addiction” and “steroid-induced cognitive deficits” and “steroid facilitated rage reaction” are all variations of the “dumbbell defense” that Yesalis and Bahrke addressed in a review of the psychological effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids.
Several cases have recently been reported (Coacher & Workman 1989; Editorial 1988b,c,d,e; Lubell 1989; Maryland v. Michael D. Williams 1986; Moss 1988) wherein presumed psychological and behavioural effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids are alleged by defendants to have significantly influenced the commission of criminal acts. This legal strategy has been identified in the popular press as the ‘dumbbell defense’ (Editorial 1988c).
These defense strategies have become more popular with the increasing degree of steroid demonization in our society. Fortunately, these legal strategies, lacking in any credible scientific support, are not terrible effective in our justice system.
Bob Lee, the district attorney for Santa Cruz County, has an explanation for the huge quantity of anabolic steroids and growth hormone linked to a man indicted for steroid importation and distribution – he was a steroid addict!
“Like many people who are involved in drugs, they have to pay for that addiction somehow. It appears he’s stolen from his family for years and years,” Lee said.
According to DA Bob Lee, James Edward Moore, Jr’s steroid addiction was so severe that he had to steal significant amounts of money from his father. The District Attorney has filed misdemeanor charges of grand theft and is preparing to file felony charges for theft and identity theft.
A recent survey of “male adult non-medical anabolic steroid users” offered a clearer picture of the average steroid user. Apparently Bob Lee is unaware that anabolic steroid users are not like abusers of illicit narcotic drugs.
“Although often considered similar to abusers of narcotics and other illicit drugs (e.g., heroin or cocaine), non-medical anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users follow carefully planned drug regimens in conjunction with a healthy diet, ancillary drugs and exercise,” said Jack Darkes, a study co-author.
“As opposed to the spontaneous and haphazard approach seen in abusers of psychotropic drugs, everything is strategically planned to maximize benefits and minimize harm.”
