James Heaps, MD, has been sentenced again to 11 years in prison following a retrial.
A three-justice panel had determined Dr. Heaps was denied a fair trial because the judge did not share a note with the defense counsel that indicated one juror lacked sufficient knowledge of English. In February, an appeals court ordered Dr. Heaps receive a retrial.
On April 14, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Dr. Heaps pleaded guilty to six felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, five felony counts of sexual battery by fraud, and two felony counts of sexual exploitation of a patient. He was sentenced to prison time and to register as a sex offender for life.
“Today marks the second time that we’re holding James Heaps responsible for the unconscionable crimes he committed while being entrusted with the safety of his patients,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in the release. “This sentence ensures that Heaps will finally be held accountable for the harm he inflicted under the guise of care.”
In October 2022, Dr. Heaps, a former OB-GYN at the University of California Los Angeles, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of five counts of sexual assault. According to court documents, the related assaults took place between 2009 and 2018. The university was criticized for not adequately warning the public about allegations against him. In May 2022, UCLA settled with 312 victims alleging abuse by Dr. Heaps for $374.4 million.
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