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Debra Postil helped secure an astonishing $243.6 million settlement for more than 200 former UCLA students who sued UCLA and Dr. James Heaps over alleged sexual abuse of students in the university student health center. This is one of the largest sexual abuse settlements against a university and one of the largest personal injury settlements against a college or university in American history. Debra Postil’s role also included preparation and execution in the independent review process before a neutral magistrate, which was provided to claimants in the class action. Debra Postil’s role also included the consulting on the admission of trial evidence in sexual assault cases in the criminal prosecution arena for People v. James Heaps. In 2022, Heaps was ultimately convicted of three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person.
Defendants, three gangmembers, were charged with aiding and abetting, intentionally firing a gun and killing a 15-year old minor, benefitting the gang. After one defendant argued he wasn’t there, another arguing his gun didn’t fire the fatal bullet, and the other arguing it was an accident, as the victim wasn’t in the zone of danger of the intended target, the jury rejected their arguments. After arguing aiding and abetting law, sufficiency of the evidence, and introducing prior acts to establish identity, Postil was able to convince the jury of the Plaintiff’s theory. The defendants were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and multiple life terms.
Defendant was charged for engaging in sexual intercourse with a four-year-old child. After arguing the incompetence of the child based on her young age and inability to accurately recall the facts, the jury rejected his arguments. After building rapport with the child witness, establishing her credibility, and introducing prior acts to establish intent, Postil was able to convince the jury of the Plaintiff’s theory. The defendant was found guilty of two counts of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child 10 years old or younger Pen. Code § 288.7(a) and sentenced to prison for 25 years to life.
Defendant, an OB/GYN, was charged with 276 counts of prescription fraud, unlawful possession of narcotics, falsifying a police report, and workers compensation fraud. After cross examination where she admitted guilt, Postil was able to convince the jury of the Plaintiff’s theory, which violated the trust of her medical patients and colleagues. The defendant was found guilty of 276 counts of fraud and falsifying a police report, landing this doctor in jail.
Defendant was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and DUI with injury, for killing two minors in his pick-up truck and injuring a third who survived the crash. After cross examination of his physics PhD expert who proffered an ID defense and introducing similar past erratic driving patterns and an accident reconstruction expert, Postil was able to convince the jury of the Plaintiff’s theory. The defendant was found guilty of gross vehicular homicide and DUI with injujry, landing him in prison. A restitution hearing presented by Postil also awarded the victims’ families compensation for their economic damages.
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