Authorities investigate Sarah Palin effigy in West Hollywood
The Secret Service joins local code enforcement and fire officials to evaluate the Halloween display that shows a likeness of the Republican vice presidential nominee hanging by a noose.
Officials from the Secret Service, West Hollywood city code enforcement and the Los Angeles County Fire Department are investigating a West Hollywood Halloween display showing a likeness of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin hanging by a noose.
It remains unclear, however, whether the agencies will find that the decoration violates any state or federal laws.
"The sheriff made this clear: This is a country that has freedom of speech, and we protect that right even when we think it's idiotic and stupid and in bad taste and wrong to do," said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. "If it is nonviolent and doesn't cause any problems, then they have the right to do it."
Whitmore said the department has fielded more than 60 calls from around the country complaining about the offensiveness of the effigy, but because there were no state laws violated, officials could not order that the display be taken down.
ChadMichael Morrisette and his partner, Mito Aviles, both 28, said they installed the Palin display at their house in the 1200 block of North Orange Grove Avenue about three weeks ago. They said they decided to put up something that was politically relevant because Halloween was only four days away from the presidential election.
"If it's a political statement, it's that their politics is scary to us," Morrisette said of the John McCain-Palin campaign. "This is our palette and this is our venue of expression."
At first, most of their neighbors either chuckled or applauded the display, Morrisette and Aviles said. But since the display has drawn more media attention in recent days, some residents have become concerned that negative media coverage may cast their neighborhood in a bad light, they said.
"We don't want to make enemies with anyone," Aviles said. "This isn't what it was supposed to be about."
But Morrisette, who has talked with several reporters about the display and has another interview scheduled this afternoon with the "Today" show, said he had no plans to take down the display until after Halloween. Morrisette said city officials and police had not contacted him about the display.
West Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang said that although he recognizes residents' right to free speech, he found the display problematic and felt it should be removed.
