A former University of Southern California gynecologist has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting multiple women and is now free on $2 million bail.
George Tyndall, 76, appeared before Judge Larry Paul Fidler in Downtown Los Angeles Criminal Court on Friday wearing a white button-up shirt with red details, a yellow handkerchief hidden in his blazer pocket and a mask partially concealing his face.
The disgraced ex-doctor has been charged with 27 crimes – 18 counts of sexually penetrating an unconscious person and nine counts of sexual assault by fraud, against 16 of his former patients, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Tyndall worked at the university’s health clinic for three decades and was accused of misconduct by 400 women over a seven-year period as the university’s only full-time gynecologist.
Investigators said all of his alleged crimes took place between 2009 and 2016. Many of his victims were as young as 18, 19 and 20, authorities said.
“That’s how he gets away with it…In their minds, they think what’s being done is right,” Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney Reinhold Mueller said.
Mueller added that Tyndall’s patients were “unable to resist” because they were unaware of the nature of what Tyndall was doing.
Tyndall’s attorney requested a bail adjustment to $250,000. If convicted, he faces up to 64 years in prison. His next court date is September 15. Fox LA reported.
George Tyndall, 76, appeared before a judge in Downtown Los Angeles Criminal Court on Friday wearing a white button-up shirt with red detailing, a yellow handkerchief hidden in his blazer pocket and a partially concealing mask his face.
Tyndall was charged with misconduct with 400 women over a seven-year period at the University of Southern California. He was charged with 27 felonies – 18 counts of sexually penetrating an unconscious person and nine counts of sexual assault by fraud, against 16 of his former patients, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Pictured: Many of Tyndall’s victims speak out about the horrific abuse they had to endure. Former patients described Tyndall as “unprofessional, scary” or someone who made them “uncomfortable and violated”, according to one report.
Tyndall’s attorney said his client was “adamant from day one that he did not commit these alleged crimes,” according to the outlet.
Tyndall’s case is the largest single-perpetrator sexual abuse investigation conducted by the Los Angeles police.
The Los Angeles Times published an article in May 2018 investigating allegations of sexual abuse. After the article appeared, hundreds of women came forward, accusing Tyndall of sexual abuse and racial discrimination.
He was charged a year later, in June 2019, and gave up his medical license in September 2019, according to Medical Board of California records.
Many former patients described Tyndall as “unprofessional, scary” or someone who made them “uncomfortable and violated”, according to one report.
Numerous complaints were filed by students and staff, reported in the LA Times article, accusing Tyndall of allegedly photographing patients’ genitals and inappropriately touching women during pelvic exams.
Some patients even asked not to see Tyndall again and tried to switch providers.
Prosecutors first filed charges in 2019 involving 21 former patients, but had to drop charges related to five women who were no longer part of the case.
A 2019 photo of the disgraced ex-doctor in court from a previous hearing
The lead prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Reinhold Mueller, told the media “we have not been able to contact any of the victims and four victims have informed us that they are withdrawing from the case”.
One of the alleged victims asked the judge to “speed up the process as much as possible”, adding that the victims had been waiting “a long time for justice”, according to the outlet. reported.
“Our day will come, justice will come. We will see Tyndall tried and brought to account,” the alleged victim said outside the courthouse.
She added: “He will go to court and he will go to jail. »
