One Year Ago Today (October 6, 2022)… Jurors concluded their first full day of deliberations in the criminal case against Dr. James Mason Heaps, a former UCLA campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing seven female patients.
The jury received the case on Wednesday afternoon and will reconvene at a downtown Los Angeles courthouse on Friday morning to continue their discussions.
Heaps, 65, is currently on trial for nine counts each of sexual battery by fraud and penetration of an unconscious person by fraudulent representation, as well as three counts of sexual exploitation of a patient.
The charges stem from alleged crimes committed between 2009 and 2018.
In her rebuttal argument, Deputy District Attorney Rosa Zavala described how Heaps took advantage of his patients’ vulnerability and used their medical needs as an excuse to engage in sexual misconduct.
On the other hand, defense attorney Leonard Levine argued that the examinations performed by Heaps were appropriate and for medical purposes.
During his closing argument, Heaps’ attorney presented two contrasting possibilities: either Heaps did everything or he did nothing. The defense lawyer asserted that his client was a dedicated doctor, while implying that the patients had sexualized the medical examinations.
Levine expressed that the jury could not restore Heaps’ reputation or job but emphasized their power to pronounce him not guilty.
He concluded by stating his hope that the jurors would find Heaps innocent of all charges and return a verdict of not guilty.
In her final argument, Zavala reminded the panel that these women walked into the clinic seeking professional care but instead encountered a sexual predator.
The prosecutor highlighted that the examinations became sexual due to the defendant’s conduct, which was carefully crafted to achieve sexual arousal and pleasure without being obvious.
Zavala expressed her sympathy for the victims and encouraged the jury to hold Heaps accountable, emphasizing that he cannot hide behind UCLA or his medical credentials.
Heaps served as a gynecologist/oncologist at UCLA for almost 35 years, treating around 6,000 patients during his career.
More than 500 lawsuits were filed against Heaps and UCLA, accusing the university of failing to protect patients despite being aware of the misconduct.
In May, a $374 million settlement was reached for 312 former patients of Heaps, adding to previous settlements totaling $243.6 million and $73 million.
The lawsuits alleged that UCLA actively concealed Heaps’ sexual abuse, allowing him unrestricted access to female patients, including those undergoing cancer treatment.
UCLA issued a statement in May, acknowledging the reprehensible conduct of Heaps and expressing gratitude to the victims who came forward. The university also outlined measures taken to ensure patient safety and affirmed their commitment to providing high-quality care.
The settlement will not impact UCLA’s operations and will be covered by their insurance and funding program, with additional resources provided by UCLA Health and campus revenue.
The federal case settlement required UCLA to implement stronger oversight procedures regarding sexual misconduct.
Despite patient complaints, UCLA did not take action against Heaps until 2017, when an investigation was finally initiated. He was allowed to continue seeing patients during this time, even after being informed that his contract would not be renewed.
UCLA terminated Heaps’ employment and notified law enforcement about the allegations in June 2018.
Heaps was arrested in June 2019 and initially faced multiple counts of sexual battery. In August 2020, he was charged with additional felonies as more women came forward with allegations.
In a similar case, USC reached a $1.1 billion settlement with former patients of ex-campus gynecologist George Tyndall in March 2021. Tyndall has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges.
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