A former campus gynecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, James Heaps, had his conviction overturned by a California appeals court. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2023 for sexually abusing female patients, but a ruling on Monday ordered the case to be retried. Heaps was convicted in October 2022 on charges of sexual battery by fraud and sexual penetration of two patients.
The appellate court panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal stated in a 31-page ruling that Heaps was denied a fair trial because his defense counsel was not informed about concerns regarding a juror’s English proficiency. Within an hour of Juror No. 15 joining the jury, doubts were raised about their ability to fulfill their duties. The foreman even wrote a note indicating that Juror No. 15 was not proficient enough in English to participate in deliberations.
Following the allegations against Heaps, the university paid out nearly $700 million in settlements related to the lawsuits. The case will now be retried to ensure a fair legal process for all parties involved.
