UCLA has come under fire for its handling of a former gynecologist charged with sexual battery and exploitation while caring for two patients at a campus medical facility. The Los Angeles Times reports the school waited until this week to publicly disclose the reason why it put Dr. James Mason Heaps on leave last year—a decision that is now at the center of an internal review. UCLA said it first received a complaint against Heaps in 2017. “We are deeply sorry for this,” said Rhonda Curry, a UCLA Health spokeswoman. “We know we could have done better… We want and need to hear from other possible patients.” Heaps pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday after surrendering to law enforcement. “These are baseless allegations,” said his attorney, Tracy Green. “He’s a respected, talented, and thorough gynecological oncologist who always sought to treat his patients with dignity and respect.”
