USC Gynecologist’s Medical Examination Reveals Cause of Death Postponed – What Really Happened?

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed on Thursday that an examination was conducted on George Tyndall, the former USC campus gynecologist who was found dead at his home last week. Tyndall was awaiting trial for alleged sexual misconduct with 16 patients. The cause of death has been deferred, and no autopsy was performed, according to a spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Medical Examiner’s Office stated that an external examination was done to look for any signs of trauma. They mentioned that based on the circumstances and the examination, an autopsy may be necessary to determine the cause and manner of death. However, due to the ongoing investigation, the details and timeline for the case closure cannot be disclosed.

Last week, the Medical Examiner’s Office had announced that they did not plan to perform an autopsy, citing a history of natural disease as the cause of Tyndall’s sudden death with no suspicion of foul play, suicide, or toxins.

Attorneys representing some of Tyndall’s alleged victims expressed their frustration with the decision not to conduct a full autopsy. They believed it denied them closure and justice after being denied the opportunity to see Tyndall face trial.

Tyndall, who had been accused of inappropriate behavior during medical exams, was found dead on October 4th. He had been charged with 18 felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and nine felony counts of sexual battery by fraud. The alleged crimes took place between 2009 and 2016 when Tyndall worked at USC’s student health center.

Although eight charges involving five other women were dismissed earlier, Tyndall’s defense team planned to seek the dismissal of the remaining charges once his death certificate became available.

In March 2021, attorneys representing hundreds of women who claimed to be victims of Tyndall announced an $852 million settlement of lawsuits against USC. This settlement was described as the largest of its kind against a university. Before that, in January 2020, USC had reached a $215 million class-action settlement with some of Tyndall’s victims. The settlement provided compensation to around 17,000 former patients, with the opportunity for additional compensation for those willing to share further details of their experiences.

Attorneys for the victims alleged that USC had paid Tyndall a substantial settlement following internal investigations in 2016 to ensure his quiet resignation. USC officials have denied allegations of a cover-up and stated that they implemented new protocols at the student health center to address complaints and hired more female physicians. USC President Carol Folt expressed her apologies and hoped that the settlement would bring relief to the victims.

George Tyndall surrendered his medical license in September 2019.