March 10, 1980: Dr. Herman Tarnower is murdered by his girlfriend, Jean Harris, due to his infidelity, at their home in Purchase, Westchester County, New York, not far from Scarsdale. He was just short of turning 70.
A Brooklyn native, Tarnower was a cardiologist, who served as an Army doctor in World War II. He founded the Scarsdale Medical Center, in the wealthy suburb, about 25 miles north of Midtown Manhattan.
In 1979, working with Samm Sinclair Baker, who specialized in "self-help" books, he published The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet Plus Dr. Tarnower's Lifetime Keep-Slim Program. The Scarsdale Diet's idea of going for high protein and low carbohydrates was not new: In 1972, Robert Atkins published Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution, with the same idea. But Tarnower's book caught on, and became the biggest-selling diet book ever.
Tarnower never married. In 1966, he met Jean Harris. The economist from Chicago was divorced, so she wasn't cheating on anybody. He was, and endlessly cheated on her, too. In spite of this, and in spite of the distance -- he practicing medicine in the suburbs of New York, she acting as the headmistress of a private girls' school in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. -- they maintained their affair for 14 years. He also maintained drug prescriptions for her, including methamphetamine.
In late Winter 1980, students at her school, Madeira, were preparing to leave for their break, when some staged a "sit-in" protest that denounced the educators, including Harris herself. On the evening of March 9, Madeira faculty members noted she seemed despondent and distant. It was later learned that she was physically addicted to one of her prescriptions, unknowingly at the time.
Jean Harris
On March 10, Harris made a 5-hour drive from Virginia to Tarnower's home in Purchase, with a .32 caliber revolver in her possession. She later stated that she had planned to commit suicide after talking in person with Tarnower one last time. When she arrived at the house, she noticed unfamiliar women's lingerie in the bedroom. An argument ensued, and Tarnower allegedly said to her, "Jesus, Jean, you're crazy! Get out of here!"
According to Harris, a struggle over the gun ensued when Harris told Tarnower she was going to kill herself. Prosecutors disputed her claim, noting that she had placed extra ammunition in her pocket before confronting Tarnower. Harris shot Tarnower four times at close range. She was ultimately arrested and booked for second-degree murder. She pled not guilty, insisting that the shooting was an accident, in that the gun had gone off accidentally and repeatedly while Tarnower tried to wrestle it away from her.
The New York press sensationalized the trial, and made Harris a household name from coast to coast. The jury rejected her claim of self-defense, found her guilty. She was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, and was legally denied the right to the $220,000 that Tarnower had left her in his will.
Harris was a model prisoner, helping fellow inmates get their GEDs, teaching parenting classes, and running a nursery for babies born to inmates. When ABC News' Barbara Walters interviewed her in prison, and asked if she still loved Tarnower in spite of it all, she broke down in tears and admitted she did.
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March 10, 1980 was a Saturday. On the same day, Billy Joel released his album Glass Houses. Aside from both occurrences happening in the State of New York, there appears to be no connection.
Baseball was in Spring Training. Football was out of season. No games were scheduled for the NBA. There were 2 games in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings, 6-3 at the Montreal Forum. And the Vancouver Canucks beat the Atlanta Flames, 5-2 at The Omni in Atlanta. The next season, the Flames moved to Calgary.
