Documentary Exposes Hawaii Predator Foster Parent, The System Failed His “Sons”
Now Hawaii Civil Window Gives Them Best Chance at Justice
Lawyers Gallagher, Anderson Took Case on “Moral Imperative”
(Hawaii) – In an explosive new documentary, a former Big Island rancher now residing in Tampa, FL, has been exposed as a serial child predator, who used Hawaii Social Services to gain new victims.
Now, those victims are using a powerful new law to get justice. But after April 24,the law expires and other, older victims may lose their rights in the courts.
LOVE SERVE SURRENDER, a 29-minute documentary produced by Vice News out of New York (link https://news.vice.com/video/love-serve-surrender), tells the story of former “Hippy Guru” Jay Ram. After running a commune in Northern California, Ram began adopting and fostering young boys, even though former members of the commune wrote letters to social services alerting them to Ram’s sexual behavior with young boys. (link https://news.vice.com/articles/an-alleged-pedophiles-perfect-scam?trk_source=homepage-feature).
Ram later moved to Hawaii, where he continued to adopt and foster boys with the help of social services and Catholic Charities. Despite more complaints and investigations against Ram, both groups continued to place boys in his care. It is estimated that he adopted and fostered more than two dozen boys, many of whom he sexually molested. When Ram’s victims began to come forward, Ram went into hiding in Saipan, and then moved to Tampa under an assumed name.
Ram’s sons had no rights in the court system until Hawaii State Senator Maile Shimabukuro sponsored a landmark two-year civil window for victims. This law gives victims of child sexual abuse a two-year window to come forward and seek justice in the civil courts, no matter when the abuse occurred. Ram’s sons contacted the law offices of Jeff Anderson and Mark Gallagher. Seeing the moral imperative of the case, they agreed to represent the boys, even though there most likely would be no financial compensation.
“When there is a dangerous man in hiding who molested this many children, we have the duty to do everything we can to make sure that man is exposed and punished,” said attorney Mike Reck. “This case is the reason why we must have strong victim-friendly laws. If the civil window didn’t exist, Jay would never have been outed as the predator he is. Hopefully, this case with help us find the evidence and witnesses necessary to put Jay Ram behind bars.”
He also stresses the upcoming April 24 deadline for other victims.
“After April 24, many victims may no longer have rights in the civil courts. We beg anyone who has been abused to come forward, before it’s too late.”
The full documentary may be viewed here.
Victims may call 888-567-5557 or visit AbusedInHawaii.com to learn more about the civil window and see if they have rights in the Hawaii courts.