Lawyers for patients of UCLA doctor say clients shaken by court overturning his sex abuse conviction

Associated Press (AP)CenterEN 4 min read 75% complete by By JAIMIE DING and JULIE WATSONFebruary 4, 2026 at 01:53 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A California appeals court overturned the sex abuse conviction of former UCLA gynecologist James Heaps due to a Sixth Amendment rights violation. The court found that the trial judge failed to inform the defense and prosecution about a jury note expressing concern that one juror may not have had sufficient English to deliberate. Heaps' defense attorney discovered the note during appeal preparations, leading to the overturned conviction and order for a retrial. Lawyers representing Heaps' accusers expressed devastation at the decision, while legal experts voiced surprise at the judicial error. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office plans to retry Heaps, who faces accusations of groping, suggestive comments, and invasive exams during his time at UCLA. The University of California system has already paid nearly $700 million to settle lawsuits related to Heaps' conduct.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

University of California system 40% California 40% Dmitry Gorin 40% Los Angeles 50% Los Angeles District Attorney’s office 50% Courtney Thom ×260% Leonard Levine ×370% University of California, Los Angeles ×270% James Heaps ×990%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

Associated Press (AP)

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).