On Thursday, prosecutors at The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) announced that a veteran UCLA obstetrician-gynecologist had been found guilty of sexually assaulting patients under his care.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said in a press statement that James Heaps, 65, was found guilty on three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person.
As a result of his arrest in 2019, the University of California system has been hit with a wave of cases alleging sexual abuse, costing it hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements.
The district attorney’s office claimed that Heaps was indicted on 21 counts of sexual abuse last year. The charges included sexual battery by deceit, sexual penetration of an unconscious person, and sexual exploitation of a patient.
The former physician was cleared on seven charges but found guilty on the remaining nine, according to the press announcement. To date, it has not been decided whether or not to retry the cases that ended in a stalemate.
According to Leonard Levin, Heaps’s attorney, his client will remain in detention until he is sentenced. His sentencing hearing has been set for November 17 by the district attorney’s office.
Levin stated that Heaps’ legal team would be filing for a new trial.The prosecutor’s office claims the indictment’s alleged wrongdoing occurred between 2009 and 2018. From 1983 through 2010, Heaps volunteered at the UCLA student health centre before being employed by UCLA Health in 2014.
One of the victims, Nicole Gumpert, said coming forward was crucial to her “psychological, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being,” despite her disappointment with the verdict.
“I’m here to put a face and voice to Dr Heaps’ horrific abuse and to tell you survivors, don’t let anything stop you from coming forward just because our road has been long and arduous,” Gumpert said at a press conference after the verdict.
George Gascón, the district attorney for Los Angeles County, was also disappointed with the verdict, seeing as Heaps was not guilty on all counts.
“The trauma Dr Heaps inflicted on the very people he had sworn to care for is immeasurable,” Gascón said.
Danette Meyers, an assistant head deputy in the DA’s office, indicated that the office might appeal the verdict if they do not think Heaps’ jail sentence is severe enough. According to her, Heaps’ potential sentence is between 21 and 28 years in prison.
On Thursday, UCLA Health released a statement expressing appreciation to the patients who had previously come forward.
“Sexual misconduct of any kind is reprehensible and intolerable,” the statement said. “Our overriding priority is providing the highest quality care while ensuring that patients feel safe, protected and respected.”
As of February, the University of California system has settled legal cases against Heaps for $243.6 million, including claims made by more than 200 accusers.
In November 2020, the university system secured a separate $73 million settlement. Under the terms of the settlement, UCLA will set up a fund to pay up to 6,600 women who had filed a class action lawsuit against the university.
According to the settlement terms, each of his accusers might get $2,500 “to compensate them for the common injury they suffered when UCLA exposed them to an OB/GYN with a disturbing history of alleged sexual misconduct.” Depending on the evidence shown in court, the settlements may be as high as $250,000.
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