Jean Struven Harris was the headmistress of The Madeira School for girls in McLean, Virginia, who made national news in the early 1980s when she was tried and convicted of the murder of her ex-lover, Herman Tarnower, a well-known cardiologist and author of the best-selling book The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet.
24 Facts About Jean Harris
2.
Jean Harris went to Laurel School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, before attending Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.
3.
In 1965, Jean Harris divorced her husband, who died in 1977.
4.
Jean Harris met Tarnower, a cardiologist, in December 1966, the year after her divorce.
5.
Jean Harris worked as the headmistress of the Madeira School for girls in McLean, Virginia, while continuing her long-distance relationship with Tarnower.
6.
Jean Harris was aware of Tarnower's other relationships; he did not hide them from her.
7.
Jean Harris later stated that she had planned to commit suicide after talking in person with Tarnower one last time.
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Jean Harris later reported that she tried phoning for help from the upstairs bedroom, but that phone was not working.
9.
Jean Harris left in her car to get help not knowing Tarnower's housekeeper had already phoned the police after hearing the gunshots.
10.
Jean Harris saw police cars driving past her, headed in the direction of Tarnower's home.
11.
Jean Harris turned her car around and followed the police cars back to his home.
12.
Jean Harris was ultimately arrested and booked for second-degree murder.
13.
Jean Harris 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.
14.
Jean Harris was released on $80,000 bail raised by her brother and sisters and signed into the United Hospital of Port Chester for psychiatric evaluation and therapy.
15.
Jean Harris then contracted the services of attorneys Joel Aurnou and Bonnie Steingart to plan her defense.
16.
Jean Harris took the stand and testified at length in her own defense, but the jury rejected her story that the shooting had been accidental and convicted her of second-degree murder after eight days of deliberations.
17.
Consequently, Jean Harris was not legally eligible to inherit $220,000 Tarnower had bequeathed to her in his will.
18.
Jean Harris consistently maintained that she did not intentionally kill Tarnower.
19.
Jean Harris began programs in which women could work toward obtaining their GEDs or college degrees while imprisoned.
20.
Jean Harris taught a parenting class to inmates and developed the in-prison nursery for babies born to inmates.
21.
Jean Harris was released from prison by the parole board and initially planned to live in a cabin in New Hampshire, but later moved to the Whitney Center, a retirement home in Hamden, Connecticut.
22.
Jean Harris died of natural causes on December 23,2012, at an assisted-living center in New Haven, Connecticut at age 89.
23.
Jean Harris was survived by her sons, David and Jimmie.
24.
Jean Harris was portrayed by Ellen Burstyn, who was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for the performance.