Former UCLA Doctor Gets 11 Years for Patient Assault

A former gynecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been sentenced to 11 years in state prison. James Heaps pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts of sexually assaulting his patients. The crimes happened while he worked at the university. Heaps was an obstetrician-gynecologist, or OB-GYN, at the UCLA student health center. He also had a private practice. His arrest followed multiple complaints from patients over many years. The case is part of a larger scandal at UCLA. The university has already paid millions of dollars to settle lawsuits from hundreds of Heaps' former patients. The sentence concludes a major criminal case. It brings legal accountability for abuses that occurred under the guise of medical care.