STANTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A man in Powell County is facing charges after his "Halloween decorations" depicted the bodies of local officials, police report.
According to an arrest citation, Stephan Marcum was arrested on Saturday and is charged with intimidating a witness in the legal process and third degree terroristic threatening.
Police report that they received a call regarding "potential witness/terroristic threatening" just after 2 p.m. at a home on Court Street in Stanton.
When authorities arrived, they saw "five "bodies" ... were in trash bags," in Marcum's yard and all were labeled.
"The one hanging was labeled "district judge." There was a rope around the neck of the body," the citation wrote. "From left to right the four other bodies were labeled "mayor," "SIS," "C.A." and "zoning mgr."
Marcum informed police that he did not want to speak about the decorations. He was then arrested, and the evidence was transported to KSP Post 8 in Morehead.
Marcum was scheduled to be arraigned in court, but the district judge recused himself from the case, postponing the arraignment.
"This day in time we don't know what people are going to do," said Eddie Barnes, Powell County judge executive.
Barnes has known Marcum for years and said while he has never had problems with him, he believes incidents like this must be taken seriously.
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 service, 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 and fined him $250. The judge gave Marcum 30 days to comply.
Police said Marcum put up the threatening Halloween decorations not long after that court hearing.
"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," Barnes said.
The City of Stanton released a statement saying it's not trying to take anyone's property. Officials said the city's priority is to ensure that basic safety, health, and zoning requirements are met — including access to legal utilities, safe building occupancy, and compliance with local codes.
