Kentucky man charged after Halloween decorations appear to depict bodies

Story by Leigh Searcy/WLEX

STANTON, Ky. (LEX 18) – A Kentucky man is facing charges after his Halloween decorations depicted bodies of local officials.

Fifty-eight-year-old Stephan Marcum is in hot water over his Halloween decorations.

On Saturday, law enforcement received complaints about a display that appeared to show fake body bags hanging in Marcum’s front yard.

Police say the decorations depicted the bodies of local officials. They say one fake hanging body bag was labeled “district judge” with a rope around the neck. Four other bags were labeled “mayor,” “-sis,” “C.A.” and “zoning manager.”

Marcum was arrested and charged.

In court, Marcum was supposed to be arraigned on charges of intimidating a participant in the legal process and third-degree terroristic threatening. However, the district judge recused himself from the case, postponing Marcum’s arraignment.

Eddie Barnes, Powell County judge-executive, said, “This day in time we don’t know what people are going to do.”

Barnes has known Marcum for years and says while he has never had any problems with him, he believes incidents like this must be taken seriously.

LEX 18 reports that it learned Marcum has been in an ongoing dispute with the City of Stanton over zoning ordinance violations for failing to hook up legal water, sewer and electrical services, creating what the city calls “potential fire hazards, sanitation and health risks.”

At a Sept. 30 court hearing, a judge found Marcum in violation of a city ordinance, fining him $250. The judge gave Marcum 30 days to comply.

Soon after this, police say Marcum put up these Halloween decorations.

Barnes said, “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.”