Thread: WOW! Family protests Arlington man's jailing in Mexico

Originally Posted by mexigrrrl

HUH???

I am skeptical of this story. Usually people ask to take someone's photo they don't offer to pay them. Methinks there's more to the story than this. I do hope that justice prevails and if they are innocent they are released asap.

He was going to pay $25 to someone in Mexico to take a picture? $1.00 will make most people in these border towns pretty happy. I can't imagine even having to give anyone money to take a picture like this. I agree with you, something doesn't sound copasetic.

Wonder if Lou has this story....or Michele.....

good morning!

first of all I just want to let everyone know that I am on your side. I may challenge your collective arguments from time to time because it is very important that we remain consistent. this way our argument over the national question will be intelligent, logical and credible. we are usually called racists and haters by those whose views oppose ours and these labels strengthen their arugument. we musn't give them the opportunity to label us with these words.

so this story just sounded fishy to me and we're seeing that it is really starting to smell like fish as more information comes out. please folks don't be so quick to judge we must maintain our calm and focus on the real fight.

i live in Mexico and many tourists have asked permission to photograph my young ones. none have ever offered money but some have handed them a tip to go buy ice cream or something like that. if anyone ever offered my minor child money to be photographed nude I would probably end up in jail before they were arested because i would probably physically attack them. they would be happy to be hauled away by the cops and not left with me, but hey that's me a protective mom.

please remember that the people in baja california are suffering because factory jobs are laying off by the tens of thousands and tourism has all but dried up. i figure these two perverts knew that completely and were prepared to ask a desperate patent for something that would happened really fast and then be rewarded with the money to buy food. i really don't give a rat's asss how friggin old the old dude was. they were both in a foreign country breaking its laws. just like immigrants who end up in jail up in the USA I don't feel a bit sorry for them.

also to clarify selling a 14 year old, from another story, this is not legal anywhere in this country. it is custom among the particular indigenous tribe where the perps came from. i do no way condone this behaviour and those retards need to be deported immediately, thank goodness they were caught.

thank you for your attention.

hello and welcome mexigrrrl are you staying safe there in Mexico?

first of all I just want to let everyone know that I am on your side. I may challenge your collective arguments from time to time because it is very important that we remain consistent. this way our argument over the national question will be intelligent, logical and credible. we are usually called racists and haters by those whose views oppose ours and these labels strengthen their arugument. we musn't give them the opportunity to label us with these words.

You make a valid point. It's easy to muddy the waters and get off the point at hand. It's also impossible much anymore to trust what the news says and what the real story is.

I just know that if you know people get in serious trouble here for sexual harrassment, child porn, racism and whatever......people there and illegals here, as well as some of our citizens, just toss those on to make it look worse than what it is. Girls cry rape when truth be told they are feeling guilty for their behavior. Cry abuse because they want to get back at someone.....which in turn deminishes things when real victims have it happen. And believe me.....some will lie through their teeth.

I just know here, many of the hispanic men are blatent with their attentions to young girls....women in general. Down right crude and vile and basically get away wih it because they say something in Spanish and even if you do understand and do something....you'll have a dozen come out of the wood work claiming he didn't. Lets see one guy and his daughter vs. 12 guys, of which half weren't even there. There was a guy who was stopped at a check point and the officer found it was a stolen vehicle. They guy fled the sceen in the car and ran into a tree and then ran to a day care where he stole another car and took off only to find there was a kid in the car.....so he brought it back and was caught. He said he ran because the cop was chasing him down in a squad car and screaming he was going to kill him. The cop didn't have a squad car...his was in for repairs and had to call for back-up for someone to catch him.
I don't like this idea that you can say anything you want and it doesn't matter if it's true or not. Maybe the guy never offered any money at all. Maybe he just asked permission, which is what your supposed to do, maybe they were just cute girls and offered money because they looked poor and had no ill intent at all......who knows, maybe he was a pervert......but to throw them in jail (one of which wasn't even involved), have a trial, be found innocent and suddenly dissappear......just find it horribly hypocritical while they're demanding what we can and can't do with the criminal element here.

I can tell you for sure, they have looked the other way for a host of crimes the citizen here would be in jail for, simply because they are illegal or hispanic. I'm not upset if the man was guilty, I'm upset they tossed the old man in and he had nothing to do with it and then now are missing. I'm upset that they are targeting Americans who they think have money to extort....while we're supposed to believe Mexico is our friend. I wish there was some support from Mexico to stand up and say Americas laws are their business and butt out....unless you want us telling you what you will and will not tolerate. Or even guarentee the safety of our people while they are there. They can't even guarentee the safety of their own citizens and start telling us what to do. They've even gone so far as to have cops from there to come here and work with ours so we can "understand", that in Mexico, a stop sign doesn't mean you have to stop....more like stop if you feel it because that's their "culture". I think it's great you're here so we understand whether it's really the "culture" or if it's a bag of cow dung their trying to feed us.

I looks like the elderly man may not survive! Here is the latest article.

Elderly Arlington man held in Mexico prison falls ill

Published: Saturday, January 24, 2009

ARLINGTON -- Gary Chrisman wonders how long his father can survive in a Mexican prison -- especially now that the 88-year-old apparently has pneumonia.

In the last two weeks, he has watched his father's health rapidly deteriorate.

"If he's not released soon, I fear he won't make it out alive," Gary Chrisman of Yuma, Ariz., said. "My father, a World War II veteran with honorable discharge, does not deserve to be dishonored by dying in a Mexican prison."

Gary Chrisman caught a brief glimpse of his father, Edward Chrisman of Arlington, earlier this week at the prison, Carcel de Mexicali in the state of Baja California Norte.

"I've heard horror stories about the corruption in Mexico but never imagined it would happen to our family," he said.

Edward Chrisman looked pale, weak and dehydrated, his son said. The family learned from a prison doctor he's being treated for pneumonia and extreme insomnia. Several days ago, prison officials moved him to a section for the elderly. The family has been told he may get slightly better treatment there, including warm showers and a bed with a mattress.

Earlier, Edward Chrisman was kept in a small, concrete cell with dozens of other men. He had to sleep on a metal bed frame with no mattress.

"Our grandfather looks really ill to us," said Shannon Perkins, Edward Chrisman's granddaughter.

The Chrisman family has been fighting to get Edward Chrisman and his grandson Gary Chrisman Jr. released from what they say are trumped-up charges from Mexican officials intent on shaking the family down for cash.

Gov. Chris Gregoire is aware of the situation and is following the issue, said spokeswoman Karina Shagren. Other lawmakers, including Sen. Maria Cantwell and Rep. Rick Larsen, also are monitoring the case.

Family members feel helpless and frustrated, Perkins said. She and her father, Gary Chrisman Sr., have crossed the border daily, working to get the men released. The family is afraid Mexican officials will create evidence to support their case, and they don't know who they can trust south of the border, she said.

Edward Chrisman, a long-time resident of Arlington, was wintering in Yuma when he decided to take a quick trip across the border with his grandson, Gary Chrisman Jr. Mexican police arrested both men the same day, Jan. 8, saying the pair tried to pay young girls to pose nude for photos.

The Chrisman family maintains the men are innocent. The family said Gary Chrisman Jr. stopped at a convenience store for a soda and, while there, asked a mother if he could take photos of her daughters. He'd been taking photos of Mexican culture all day with a new camera. The mother granted permission and he gave her $25. He snapped headshots of the two fully-clothed girls and left the store. Edward Chrisman never even went into the store.

A police reporter for La Voz de la Frontera newspaper on Tuesday said he was told by Mexican police that there were no pornographic photos in Gary Chrisman Jr.'s camera.

The family said it's common for people in Mexico to demand money if their photo is taken.

Neither man has a criminal record. Gary Chrisman Jr., 40, works as a security officer at the Yuma Proving Ground. Edward Chrisman worked as a civil service machinist for the Navy after serving in World War II. He has attended the Arlington Assembly of God Church for decades.

"Both my dad and son have spotless reputations and are well-respected by the community," Gary Chrisman Sr. said. "Justice needs to prevail sooner, not later."

Attention surrounding the case in Yuma has sullied the men's reputations, Perkins said.

In a statement to media, the family raised questions about the case: Why were the two men held for six days without charges? Why weren't the men allowed to make a phone call? Why were the men required to make statements about their monthly incomes? Why was an initial "not guilty" verdict changed to "guilty"?

Family members were asked by an intermediary to pay $2,000 to the prosecuting attorney "to make the situation disappear," Perkins said. The payment was not made.

Eric Johnson, an Arizona state legislative liaison, heard about the Chrismans and is trying to raise support among legislators there. He's not having a lot of success, he said. Legislators in Arizona are dealing with their own $4 billion shortfall and are focused on repairing the state's budget.

"We've been trying to tell our citizens, 'Don't go' " to Mexico, he said. "It's getting bad."

Gilbert Emory of Stanwood heard about the Chrismans and decided to open a bank account to raise money for Edward Chrisman's release. He deposited $500 Friday.

Edward Chrisman served as Emory's Sunday School teacher in the 1940s. Emory has known Edward Chrisman and his family for decades.

"I know Ed. I just felt this was something we had to do," Emory said. "He doesn't deserve to die in a prison."

He described Chrisman as a true gentleman and mild-mannered.

"I can just see him sitting in there wondering what went wrong," Emory said.

Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com.



How to help

Those who wish to help Edward Chrisman of Arlington can contribute at any KeyBank to the Edward Chrisman Litigation Fund.


http://www.heraldnet.com/article/200901 ... 2/0/SPORTS

Ok folks!

Here is the deal.

There is no way we can develop any true sense of guilt or innocence in this case by reading media reports.

The real issue is that these men are in one of the most corrupt countries on the planet which is known to want to shake down every American and the entire our entire nation!

A principle in America that is sorely lacking in the corrupt, gang rule, anarchy prone Mexico that is not a play is "Innocent till proven guilty."

Another concept missing here is called Habeas corpus.

These men should be allowed to post appropriate bail and released into custody of their families pending trial.

Putting an American in a Mexican prison like this is a death sentence and we all know how angry Mexico is that we have been returning more of their illegals and sentencing their monstrous gang bangers to death for rape the rape and murder of American children.

I think it is time that we start calling the US Secretary of State offices demanding that the US Consulate issue a demand for the release of these prisoners.

We are not demanding that they are innocent or should not face trial, but they deserve bail and a fair trial.

Right now, sounds like they have been sentenced to death without a real trial.

We should not allow the controversial nature of these charges in Mexico dissuade us from standing up for what is fair and right.


W

Mexigrrrl wrote:

i figure these two perverts knew that completely and were prepared to ask a desperate patent for something that would happened really fast and then be rewarded with the money to buy food. i really don't give a rat's asss how friggin old the old dude was. they were both in a foreign country breaking its laws. just like immigrants who end up in jail up in the USA I don't feel a bit sorry for them.

Sounds like you've already convinced yourself that these two men are guilty. Honestly, I don't know if they're guilty or innocent. Furthermore, I wouldn't presume to know anything based on the mixed stories that have been posted in this thread. At this point, I think you're wrong for calling them perverts and accusing them of breaking the law. Just my opinion.

Man welcomed home after 65 days in Mexican prison
by Associated Press (April 26th, 2009 @ 12:16pm) Policy >> Comments:1

ARLINGTON, Wash. - An elderly Arlington, Wash., man is finally back home after being locked up in a Mexican prison for 65 days.

Eighty-nine-year-old Edward Chrisman was greeted by television cameras, balloons, banners and his family when his plane arrived Saturday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Said Chrisman, ``I'm not used to this kind of attention.''

Chrisman, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and his nephew, Gary Chrisman Jr., a security guard in Yuma, Ariz., were accused of approaching a 13-year-old girl in her mother's convenience store in Mexico and asking to take a sexually explicit photograph.

Gary Chrisman Jr. says he went into the store and took a few photos of fully clothed girls. Edward Chrisman was accompanying his grandson along to a dental appointment in Mexico.

Gary Chrisman Jr. told his family the girls' mother was in the store and granted permission for the photo. He says he gave the mother $25, but she wanted more money. When he refused, he says she called police.

http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1142084

TWENTY FIVE BUCKS???? That is a hec of a lot of money in Mexico. If he wanted pictures of Mexican culture he could just go to the market place and take pictures and there would automatically be people in that picture. I dont believe this guy....I believe the mother. But the old guy is another story. He was in the car. He may have not realized what the younger guy was up to. He may very well be innocent. If I was the Mexican Police I would keep the young guy and let the old guy go.