On August 9, 2022, a former UCLA campus gynecologist stood trial for the sexual abuse of seven female patients who had placed their trust in him and the university. The prosecutor argued that James Mason Heaps, now 65 years old, committed 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 are based on alleged crimes that occurred between 2009 and 2018, involving seven of Heaps’ former patients.
Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers described Heaps’ actions as being motivated by “sexual gratification” and labeled it as one of the most severe breaches of trust. The prosecutor stated that the victims believed in the university and trusted Heaps due to their urgent medical situations or their battle with cancer or potential cancer.
Meyers informed the jury that an initial investigation into the misconduct allegations against Heaps did not yield any results, but a subsequent investigation led to a grand jury indictment last year.
The prosecution plans to present an expert who will testify that Heaps’ conduct deviated significantly from the standard medical care. However, defense attorney Leonard Levine argued that the examinations were performed for legitimate medical purposes, with trained medical assistants acting as chaperones in the examination rooms. The defense intends to call their own medical expert to provide testimony regarding the nature of the examinations conducted by Heaps.
Levine countered the negative portrayal of his client in the press, emphasizing that they will establish his innocence during the trial and urged the jury to remain attentive.
The trial is set to commence with the testimony of one of the alleged victims. Heaps, who worked as a gynecologist/oncologist affiliated with UCLA for almost 35 years, treated approximately 6,000 patients and was at one point the highest-paid physician in the UC system.
Over 500 lawsuits have been 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 of $243.6 million and $73 million for approximately 200 patients and 5,500 plaintiffs, respectively.
The lawsuits alleged that UCLA actively concealed Heaps’ abuse and allowed him continued access to female patients, many of whom were battling cancer. UCLA issued a statement expressing their commitment to providing the highest quality care and ensuring patient well-being.
The university implemented measures to improve student and patient safety and agreed to stronger oversight procedures for identifying, preventing, and reporting sexual misconduct following the settlement of the federal case. The allegations against Heaps were first reported to UCLA’s Title IX office in late 2017, yet he was able to continue seeing patients until his employment was terminated and law enforcement notified in June 2018.
In June 2019, Heaps was arrested and faced multiple counts of sexual battery. Additional charges were brought against him in August 2020. In a similar case involving ex-campus gynecologist George Tyndall, USC agreed to pay over $1.1 billion in March 2021, marking the largest sex abuse payout in higher education history.
Tyndall, who served as the only full-time gynecologist at the student health clinic from 1989 to 2016, has pleaded not guilty to numerous sexual assault charges.
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