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Published on 08/19/1996 All articles from this issue

Accused child harasser remains in custody, hearing continued

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

James Stiritz, the 62-year-old Los Altos man facing charges of attempted kidnapping and annoying or molesting a child, did not enter a plea in court last Friday.

Instead, the case was continued for two weeks.

"That means there is more time to work on the case," said Tanya Halepota, Stiritz's daughter and also a Los Altos resident.

Stiritz will enter a plea Aug. 30, said his attorney Diane Morin. "And we may have a psychiatric evaluation at that time. One has not been started yet, but there will be one."

Meanwhile, Stiritz remains in custody at the Elmwood Correctional Facility for men in Milpitas on $100,000 bail, which Halepota said the family hopes to raise.

"We've put together a legal defense fund for Dad and are working on it."

Morin said she hopes he will be released. "He's an old gentleman, he has high blood pressure. It is improbable he will be released in the near future. In view of the uproar in the community, he is probably safer in jail," Morin said.

Some parents have said they are worried about Stiritz being released.

One Los Altos mother spoke to the Town Crier on the condition that her name not be used. She said Stiritz knows her two girls, and, "I'm scared about retribution against my children.

"He has befriended kids to where they call him Grandpa Jim," she said. "I'm worried about him going up and saying 'hi' where he personally knows the names of the children."

The charges Stiritz face stem from an incident in Shoup Park in Los Altos on July 14. Los Altos police arrested him after he allegedly tried to lead a 9-year-old girl out of the park to get an ice cream.

Stiritz "tried to lead her off by the hand, and the baby sitter had to literally pull her back by the other hand," said Los Altos Police Sgt. John Hughmanick at the time of the arrest.

"My antennae were already up," said the Los Altos mother. "I'd already told my daughters not to talk to him. He'd befriended a friend of my daughter, got her phone number and gave her gifts. So then he's not a stranger, he's Grandpa Jim.

"One day he followed us home from (Baskin-Robbins) 31 Flavors. My husband called the police. This was about a week before the (alleged) attempted kidnapping."

Morin said, "There is no evidence that Mr. Stiritz was trying to kidnap anyone. There is conflicting evidence that my client even touched anyone."

Police are continuing their investigation and processing all the information called in by local citizens.

Los Altos Police Sgt. Lacey said it would all be forwarded to the district attorney who will decide if any further charges will be filed. The case is being handled by the county sexual assault unit.