Los Angeles, California - A Los Angeles County jury on Thursday convicted former UCLA gynecologist Dr. James Heaps of sexually abusing female patients.

Prosecutors portrayed Heaps as exploiting his position as a renowned cancer specialist to prey on the most vulnerable women during his 35 years associated with UCLA. Hundreds of accusers have been paid nearly $700 million by UCLA in the largest sex abuse settlement involving a public university.

"Instead of upholding the Hippocratic oath, (Heaps) used his position as a doctor, as a specialist, to sexually assault seven incredibly vulnerable women," Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers said during the trial, which began August 9.

The women Heaps was charged with abusing told similar stories from the witness stand, testifying that he groped them, penetrated them with his ungloved hand, and committed acts of sexual arousal under the guise of medical examinations.

Defense attorney Leonard Levine countered that the exams were appropriate and "for a medical purpose" and were conducted with female staff present. Levin said Heaps had been "painted as a monster in the press" when, in fact, he was saving lives.

Heaps (65) was charged with 21 felony counts. He was found guilty of three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person in assaults from 2009 to 2018, the portion of his tenure that falls within the statute of limitations for which criminal charges could be brought.

He was found not guilty of seven other counts, including one count of sexual exploitation.

Judge Michael D. Carter declared a mistrial on nine other sex-related counts, saying the jury was hopelessly deadlocked on them.

Heaps’ own university called his conduct "reprehensible" following a $374.4-million settlement covering 312 former patients.

"It’s very difficult to be betrayed in such a relationship of trust," said Jennifer McGrath, who represented many of the victims in the lawsuits and the criminal case. "You go to a physician, you expect that you’ll be treated appropriately and medically, and when that does not happen.... It really destroys that trust in a deep way."

Despite years of complaints about Heaps, who treated about 6,000 patients during his tenure, it was not until late 2017 that allegations of sexual misconduct were reported to UCLA and a formal investigation was opened.

Heaps was allowed to continue seeing patients – both during the investigation and after UCLA informed the doctor his contract would not be renewed when it expired on June 30, 2018. UCLA finally ended Heaps’ employment and notified the police of the allegations against him in June 2018.

Heaps was arrested a year later and charged with two counts of sexual battery by fraud and one count of sexual exploitation in connection with acts involving two patients. Until that arrest, UCLA had not made public or told former patients that a year before, Heaps had been investigated for sexual abuse. Subsequently, a grand jury indicted him on 21 felonies involving seven victims.

In May 2022, UC regents agreed to $374.4 million in settlements covering 312 former patients who sued, alleging they were abused between 1983 and 2018. That agreement came on top of a $243.6-million settlement of more than 200 women’s lawsuits and a $73-million class-action settlement involving more than 5,000 patients dating to 1983.

In 2019, the UC system also paid $2.25 million to settle a lawsuit by a patient who alleged she was sexually assaulted by Heaps in 2018.