Doll with racial slurs written on it is found hanging from noose at black church in Laurel: Laurel police were trying Monday to determine who hung a doll from a noose in front of an African American church on Laurel Park Drive late Saturday or early Sunday, authorities said.
A maintenance man found the doll, which was hanging from a tree in front of the City of Zion Church, about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, said Gregory Strong, the pastor. Someone had written racial slurs on the doll, along with references to President Obama, he said.
'This was meant to rattle our congregation,' Strong said. 'Very disturbing, very disturbing.'
Strong said he called police, and the doll was removed before congregants arrived for services. He said he thought the doll was meant to scare congregants in the days before Tuesday's election.
'This was not coincidence,' he said.
