James Heaps, a former gynecologist at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), was sentenced this Wednesday, April 26, to 11 years in prison, after being tried for sexually abusing his patients.
The sentence was handed down this Wednesday by Judge Michael Carter, who rejected Heaps’ defense motion for a new trial.
Heaps was found guilty of furthermore sexual penetration made towards an unconscious person.
Heaps had previously been convicted, in October 2022, of five sexual charges involving his patients. The 66-year-old doctor was accused of multiple incidents of abuse during his years of practicing healthcare on campus.
According to an ABC 7 report, Heaps worked at UCLA for approximately 35 years, treating thousands of patients (according to some numbers, it could have been as many as 6,000 patients).
The event generated more than 500 lawsuits against Heaps and the university institution itself. Many of these legal actions argue that UCLA failed to protect patients after their erratic behavior became known.
During 2022, attorneys for 312 Heaps patients announced that they have reached an agreement with UCLA, which will pay a stipend to the victims. The deal figure varies depending on the source. According to the Los Angeles Times, the University of California has agreed to pay nearly $700 million for Heaps’ victims.
Many of those affected by the gynecologist say they have suffered from extreme anxiety and no longer trust male doctors, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Prosecutors requested a higher sentence, specifically 13 years in prison, which is the maximum time stipulated for the charges for which Heaps was found guilty.
On the other hand, Heaps’ defense argued that the gynecologist “had had a good medical record during his life.”
Keep reading:
– Doctor sexually abused his female patients: accusation in New Jersey
– Former Columbia University gynecologist Robert Hadden found guilty of sexual assault in federal court
– New York City teachers sent obscene messages and sexually exploited their students, investigation finds