Tatiana Tarasoff was a student at the University of California at Berkely in the late 1960s, and she met Prosenjit Poddar, a graduate student from India, at a folk dancing class. They dated, and on New Year’s Eve of 1968 they kissed. Poddar interpreted this kiss as a sign of a long-lasting relationship, but Tarasoff told him she was dating others and did not want a relationship with him. This was a blow to Poddar, who descended inexorably into a depression for which he eventually sought treatment at the campus hospital, with psychologist Lawrence Moore. During a session, Poddar confided to Moore that he wanted to kill Tarasoff. Moore, taking the threat seriously, contacted campus police, who detained Poddar, but released him shortly thereafter. Several months later, on October 27, 1969, Poddar stabbed Tarasoff to death. Her parents sued the university, and the case was eventually heard by the California Supreme Court, which issued a decision that became the basis of the Tarasoff duty, discussed by Dr. Brendel in this month’s interview.

Source: Wikipedia