Emergency Brake problem

I have a 96 Maxima SE. I live in NY and lately it has been freezing out. I never had this problem in the summer but I have this problem usually when the temp is below 40 which it has been the past month. Every time I put my e-brake up, it freezes. About half way pulling it up i feel a click in the handle and then it doesn't go back down. If I drive the car long enough and keep pulling the handle up and down, it eventually goes down but sometimes not before my brakes overheat. My rotors are now starting to warp and I don't want to cut them until this problem is fixed. But I have no idea what's causing this. It seems to be the rear right side that is getting stuck. Can anyone help me?

...But I have no idea what's causing this. It seems to be the rear right side that is getting stuck. Can anyone help me?

Might be temporarily freed by taking hard grip of the wire (down under ) near the wheel, shake. The wire outer shell plastic cracks letting water in. Rust... Do not use it now. Replace the wires on both sides before the rear brakes will be spoiled, much costlier than set of new wires.