According to the Los Angeles Times, the charges against James Heaps first surfaced in 2014, when the state’s medical board investigated him over a similar complaint. Another complaint was filed with UCLA in 2017, and the institution announced its retirement in June 2018. Following the 2017 allegation, the institution was fined for allowing Heaps to visit patients for nearly six years. month.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged the 65-year-old former gynecologist with physically abusing two former patients on May 22, 2019. According to NBC, when many former patients began complaining about Heaps, the facility agreed to pay more than $700 million in legal settlements to alleged victims.
#DEMOLITION: District Attorney George Gascón announced today that jurors have convicted James Mason Heaps, an obstetrician and gynecologist formerly at the University of California, Los Angeles, with five counts of sexual assault. educate some of his patients. pic.twitter.com/wI0KhDSs9c
– George Gascon (@LADAOffice) October 21, 2022
UCLA was singled out in the James Heaps case.
According to NPR, James Heaps will use his position of doctor and gynecologist to misbehave with his patients. In an official statement, John Manly, an attorney representing many of Heaps’ alleged victims, said many of the women the former doctor allegedly abused had cancer.
Manly stated:
“The heinous abuse he inflicted on cancer patients and those who trusted him as their doctor has been exposed, and justice has been served.”
Heaps’ defense attorney, Lenny Levine, argued that the doctor engaged in what appeared to be personal contact with the patient due to the nature of his job.
Levine stated:
“He’s either a doctor doing his job or a lunatic monster out there.”
Despite numerous complaints, James Heaps pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of sexual abuse, NBC reported. A grand jury in California found him guilty on three counts and not guilty on seven more. Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon addressed the charges against Heaps in an official statement. He mentioned that the jury was deadlocked on nine additional charges, resulting in a mistrial.
The Gascon says:
“The suffering that Dr. Heaps has caused for the people he has sworn to care for is immeasurable.” While we accept the jury’s acquittal, we are certainly not satisfied.”
UCLA released an official statement in response to the decision against James Heaps.
According to the statement:
“UCLA Health values patients who come forward.” Sexual misconduct of any kind is abhorrent and unforgivable. Our first goal is to provide the best possible treatment while making patients feel safe, protected and valued.”
Heaps will be sentenced on November 17, 2022.
Categories: Entertaintment
Source: newstars.edu.vn