Morris County couple removes hanged dummy prop

(10/16/07) MADISON (AP) - Public uproar that compared an image to a lynching has led a Madison family to remove a hanged dummy from its Halloween display. Cheryl and David Maines fear for their safety. The couple's 27-year-old son has decorated their home for seven Halloweens. The hanged dummy, which has a black hood, is usually partially hidden. But police started getting calls on Sunday, saying the display was racist. The state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said it was offensive and insensitive. The family tells The Star-Ledger of Newark the display was not meant to be a hate crime.