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The owner of a Danville karate center was arrested in Oakland on Friday, following an investigation by police into reported sexual misconduct against a student at his studio, according to Danville police.
Police arrested 63-year-old Ramon Pruitt — the owner of Danville Karate International on Town and Country Drive — last Friday on charges stemming from allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior with one of his students.
With assistance from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Danville police had been investigating Pruitt for some time, initiating the investigation after receiving a report of misconduct on Jan. 14.
A warrant for Pruitt’s arrest was issued by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office on Feb. 20, on three felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. Pruitt was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility with bail set at $500,000.
It was not immediately clear whether Pruitt had yet appeared in court to answer for the charges or whether he was represented by an attorney.
Residents with any additional information regarding this case can contact the Danville Police Department investigations unit at 314-3711 or dlynch@danville.ca.gov.
I have been going to KI for quite some time, trusting the karate master. Nothing bad had ever happened to me, but rather it had to happen to my good friend. Master Pruitt was a kind and trustworthy person, and all this time he had been hiding behind a curtain of kindness. He has been charged with several felonies and I don’t know how to feel. Over the years you learn to trust those around you and those teaching you, and when you come home one day to find out that you were close up and personal with a pedafile, things get thrown out of view. I hope this happens to nobody else and just want to say, live life to the fullest. God bless
I have been going to KI for quite some time, trusting the karate master also. Nothing bad had ever happened to me either. If these are in fact the facts then this is a very sad situation for all who were part of KI. However, I don’t think it’s justified to reach a conclusion based on an accusations. If he did do these actions then he’s guilty but if he was falsely accused of these actions then he needs to have our support. Would you agree? We live in a very litigious World. The student who was a child made these accusations. How well do you know this child and their background? Did this in fact happen? Is there proof?
Not taking any side here. Just looking for answers.
This does not have anything to do with a “litigious” society. The arrest resulted from a month-long investigation into allegations of sexual abuse. Might it prove false? Perhaps. But this arrest was not a knee-jerk reaction to an accusation; it followed investigation by two agencies (Danville Police and Contra Costa County Sheriff).
As to your question of whether there is any proof: the police obtained a warrant, which necessarily requires a judge to determine from the criminal complaint that there is reasonable ground to believe the defendant committed the crime. You can check out Penal Code 813 if you are interested. It could also be made on a declaration of probable cause by a peace officer – again, the judge would need to determine that probable cause exists that the defendant committed the crime. Penal Code 817 covers this approach. Both instances, of course, involve a lower burden of proof than is required for conviction.
Oh, don’t mind me! Just popping my head in the door to defend a pedophile and try to cast aspersions on a child victim of sexual abuse. Could have kept my mouth shut – could have left the article alone, but here we are! Again – don’t worry yourself about me, I’m just pretending to be an online Columbo, defending our town’s fair pedophiles from, let’s see here… “children who were sexually abused.” Yep! That’s what I’m doing. That, and karate. I’m here to defend pedophiles and do karate.
I’d jump off an effing bridge before I EVER defended a PEDOPHILE.
The Anonymous said: “ We live in a very litigious World.”
Not quite sure what you mean by “litigious world.” Are you talking about civil law or criminal law? As nations go, the United States is the most litigious country on earth when it comes to the matter of civil law. In other parts of the world, civil suits are rare compared to the United States. In a nutshell, if I sue you in the United States and lose, you still have to pay your own attorney fees. In Europe, if I sue you and lose, I have to pay all of your attorney fees, and any other court related costs. The reason European civil law is not practiced in the United States is because it would create a “chilling effect” on free speech. No one would want to sue someone else for fear of having to pay the defendant’s attorney fees.
Litigious means unreasonably prone to go to law to settle disputes.
Lots to say and more to think about. I’ve known Ray Pruitt for over 20 years. I was his student. I’ve been with him for hundreds and hundreds of hours. I’ve been with him in tournaments, week long practice trips where he’d delegate the entire week of responsibilities to the students. He was supportive. Every person learned how to cook, clean, schedule, teach, mentor, we were always by his side with lots of parents. This human being is a professional. He’s an honest man. He’s a good man. There are hundreds of students that have cross the threshold of the dojo known as Karate International. His only intention was to teach integrity, character, humility, and respect for all. He’s old school. He’s a Leader of leaders. He took many difficult students and literally impacted their lives for the way, way better. Improved, enhanced lives.
Never once was anything ever inappropriate, lewd, crossing a line. I would know. I know creepy, I know the lexicon and behavior of people who mask themselves as good and they are not. Not this man. No how, no way. If you do not know him, you have no say. You can not accurately judge this person. I know the headline is horrible and I’d be the first in line to castrate any adult who targets children. I feel you. But sometimes, a lot of times, it’s not true and we find out after the person’s life long journey of great work has been destroyed. Don’t convict a human based on your zero knowledge of who he is. Pick someone else to crucify, he’s not the one.
Patty – you’re in denial. Get real.
Ramon Pruitt and his wife Ilene Pruitt acted as foster parents for over a decade of my life. I can tell you that these claims should be taken seriously. Ramon had children and young adults under his sphere of influence for 25 years plus. I can think of a handful of people more age who were traumatized by this man.