What the Effigy? - Stephan Marcum

A Halloween yard display in Stanton, Kentucky, led to the arrest of a local man on charges of intimidating a witness and third-degree terroristic threatening. This episode details the unsettling scene where five effigies, wrapped in black trash bags, were labeled with titles like "district judge," "mayor," and "C.A." One figure was found hanging by a rope. We explore how the highly specific nature of the labels and the grotesque imagery caused local officials to view the display not as protected free speech or holiday decor, but as a deliberate attempt to terrorize and influence public officials involved in the legal process.