A Kentucky man is facing charges over a Halloween display that allegedly depicted local officials in fake body bags on his front lawn, according to police.
The Halloween decorations featured five fake bodies wrapped in trash bags that were displayed at the Stanton, Ky., home, which is located just outside of Lexington.
On display were fake hanging body bags labelled “District Judge,” “SIS,” “C.A.,” “Zoning Mgr” and “Mayor,” according to police.
The bag with the words “District Judge” also had “a rope around the neck of the body,” police wrote in an arrest citation, viewed by multiple news outlets, including NBC affiliate Lex18.
Stephan Marcum, 58, was taken into custody after refusing to remove the display.
Marcum has been in an ongoing dispute with the City of Stanton about his failure to meet zoning requirements to maintain water, sewer and electrical services at his home, according to NBC. A judge fined Marcum $250 and gave him 30 days to comply in September.
Police said that he put up his threatening Halloween display shortly after the court hearing.
He has been charged with intimidating a witness in the legal process and third-degree terroristic threatening. His arraignment was postponed after the judge recused himself because he is also handling Marcum’s zoning case. He is currently being held on a $5,000 bond, reports local outlet WKYT.
Officials warn that incidents like this must be taken seriously.
“If you’re going to express yourself, don’t do it in a way that could be harmful to others or threatening to others, and by seeing those hanging up and the representatives marked on them, it is somewhat alarming,” said Eddie Barnes, Powell County judge executive.