ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — A neighbor of Ed Chrisman’s, Larry Stickney has invited the community to gather together for breakfast and show the Chrisman family their support. Chrisman is the 88-year-old who was arrested in Mexico Jan. 8 with his grandson Gary Chrisman Jr.
Stickney said his friends, County Councilman John Koster and state Senator Val Stevens are planning to attend the event and help recruit contributions to help pay the legal costs of trying to get Chrisman and his grandson out of the Mexicali Prison.
The two were arrested on pornography charges, after Chrisman Jr took photographs, with permission from the mother, of two teenage girls. He payed $25, family members reported, but the mother raised a fuss asking for more money when he left.
The two men have been found not guilty in several court sessions, but the prison officials refuse to release them.
In their first day in court soon after the arrest, the two men were found innocent, but then the decision was reversed and they were escorted away to the Mexican federal prison in Mexicali, the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California Norte. Some say they refused the opportunity to pay a $2,000 bribe to prevent going to jail.
The granddaughter of Chrisman who lives in Mukilteo, Tracy Short said at noon March 4 that her family was at that moment on their way to Mexicali Prison to see if the two men would be released, just two days after the Mexican court system announced they would be released.
“We’ve heard the same thing five times before — that’s he’s going to be released. They follow their own rules down there.” Short said the prison is a two-hour drive from her family’s home in Yuma, Ariz.
Stickney and Koster are both neighbors to the Chrisman home. Ed Chrisman spends winters with his son in Yuma and is an active member of the Assembly of God Church in Arlington.
“Many who have been following the Chrisman’s ordeal closely have shared in the family’s frustration and have been wanting to do something to help,” Koster said.
“Please come to the breakfast on March 14 and bring your checkbook as the Chrismans have incurred over $12,000 in travel and legal expenses. We know that money is tight these days for everyone, so any amount will be welcome,” Koster said.
“We urge all to come and show their support,” Stickney said.
Breakfast will be served from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. at the Arlington Heights Improvement Club, 12221 228th St. NE, east of Arlington on Saturday, March 14.
Please RSVP to stickneyfamily@comcast.net or call Larry Stickney at 360-631-1894
The Arlington Heights Improvement Club is three miles east of Arlington. Take SR 530 toward Darrington and turn right on Arlington Heights Road.
Anyone unable to attend the breakfast can still donate at any Key Bank with checks made payable to : The Ed Chrisman Litigation Fund, Key Bank, 535 N. Olympic Ave.
