In the quiet town of Stanton, Kentucky, a Halloween display has ignited a fierce debate about free speech, public safety, and the limits of protest. On October 4, 2025, residents awoke to a scene that was hard to ignore: five fake bodies, wrapped in garbage bags to resemble body bags, were arranged on the lawn of 58-year-old Stephan Marcum. Each effigy bore a label naming a local official—among them the mayor, the county attorney, the zoning manager, and, most disturbingly, a “district judge.” The latter was suspended from an elevated position with a rope around its neck, a haunting image that left many in the community unsettled.
According to NBC News, the display was clearly visible to anyone passing by Marcum’s home on Court Street, just off North Main. The labels were unmistakable: “Mayor,” “C.A.” (likely standing for Commonwealth Attorney), “SIS,” “Zoning Mgr,” and “District Judge.” It didn’t take long for word to spread, prompting a local attorney to alert authorities. Kentucky State Police responded quickly, launching an investigation that very day.
Police reports, as cited by PEOPLE and WLEX, describe the scene in stark terms: “There was one body that was being hung from an elevated position. The one hanging was labeled ‘District Judge.’ There was a rope around the neck of this body.” The other four bodies, also labeled with officials’ titles, lay nearby. Marcum, when approached by troopers, refused to comment on his intentions, telling them only that he did not wish to speak about his “Halloween decorations.”
The reaction from local officials was swift and serious. Powell County Judge Executive Eddie Barnes, who has known Marcum for over 35 years, expressed his shock and concern. “At first I didn’t know what to think about it, because I actually drove by and saw it in his yard, and I’m thinking, you know, ‘Wow, you know, that’s kind of harsh,’” Barnes told WKYT. He later added, “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.”
Authorities arrested Marcum on charges of third-degree terroristic threatening and intimidating a participant in the legal process. As detailed in the arrest citation obtained by PEOPLE, these charges stem from the perceived threat directed at local government officials. Marcum was taken to the Powell County Detention Center, where he is being held on a $5,000 bond. His arraignment was scheduled for October 7, but was postponed when the district judge—who is also presiding over an unrelated zoning case involving Marcum—recused himself due to a clear conflict of interest.
Behind the spectacle lies a simmering dispute between Marcum and the city of Stanton. As reported by LEX 18, Marcum has been embroiled in a long-standing battle over zoning violations. The city has cited him for failing to hook up legal water, sewer, and electrical services at his home, creating what officials describe as potential fire hazards and sanitation risks. Just a week before the Halloween incident, a judge fined Marcum $250 and gave him 30 days to comply with city ordinances. According to police, the controversial decorations appeared in his yard shortly after this court hearing.
The community’s response has been mixed, reflecting broader national tensions about the boundaries of free expression and the responsibilities that come with it. Legal experts, as referenced by Sunbeam Television Corp., note that while free speech is a protected right, it does not extend to threats or actions that could reasonably be interpreted as intimidation or incitement. “A display or statement that might have been taken as somewhat tongue-in-cheek or almost a joke in a less polarized, conflict-ridden age may not be seen as funny or as innocent these days,” Stephen Voss, a professor of political science at the University of Kentucky, told WKYT.
The Kentucky State Police, in a statement shared with The Telegraph, confirmed the ongoing investigation: “Post 8 in Morehead is investigating threats directed toward several government officials in Powell County. The initial investigation indicates that Stephan Marcum, 58 years old, from Stanton, Kentucky, placed several items appearing to be Halloween decorations in his yard. However, closer inspection of the items indicated a perceived threat toward several individuals who serve as government officials in Powell County.” Trooper Austin Miller is leading the inquiry, and authorities say the case remains active.
The incident has not occurred in a vacuum. In recent weeks, the country has been rocked by high-profile acts of political violence, including the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk and a deadly attack on migrants believed to be targeting ICE agents. These events have fueled political rhetoric and heightened sensitivities around perceived threats—real or symbolic—against public officials. In this climate, even actions that might once have been dismissed as poor taste are now scrutinized for potential criminal intent.
Marcum’s history in the community complicates the picture. Judge Executive Barnes, while critical of the display, stopped short of labeling Marcum a genuine threat. He pointed out longstanding issues with Marcum’s property, noting that unsanitary conditions had prompted complaints from neighbors. “There are these rules and regulations for a reason,” Barnes said to NBC News, referencing reports that Marcum sometimes disposed of waste in ways hazardous to public health. “Not good for his neighbors, not good for personal hygiene.”
As of now, Marcum remains in custody, awaiting a new court date. It is unclear whether he has retained legal counsel. The case has raised uncomfortable questions for Stanton and beyond: Where does protest end and intimidation begin? How do communities balance the right to free expression with the imperative to protect public officials and maintain civil order? And, perhaps most pointedly, what happens when personal grievances spill into public spectacle in a time of national unease?
For the residents of Stanton, the answer may not come easily. But one thing is certain: the boundary between Halloween mischief and criminal threat has never felt so fraught.
