A woman who was caught on camera hanging stuffed animals with nooses above a campaign sign for a Black Congressional candidate in New Jersey will not face charges after investigators determined she is suffering from behavioral health issues.
On Nov. 8, Election Day, the woman was captured on surveillance video hanging three stuffed dolls with nooses from tree branches above a campaign sign for Tim Alexander in Middle Township, New Jersey.
Alexander, who is Black, was running against incumbent Jeff Van Drew to represent New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District in the House of Representatives.
The incident was reported as a bias incident and forwarded to the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice - Bias Crime Unit.
Alexander called the incident "sickening" and "disgusting," while speaking with NBC10 last week.
“It really spoke to what I have been talking about on the campaign trail," Alexander said. "And that is that we have too much division. We have too much tribalism. We have this sense of us against them.”
Middle Township Mayor Tim Donohue called the act a "potential hate crime" with possible charges to be prosecuted "to the fullest extent of the law" in a post on Facebook last week.
“This is not who we are in Middle Township,” Donohue wrote. “We stand united against all forms of racism, hate, threats and intimidation. If this investigation proves charges are warranted, the perpetrator(s) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Detectives identified the woman as a 36-year-old Rio Grande resident. The woman's family members told investigators she is suffering from behavioral health issues which she was treated for in the past.
Based on their investigation, officials determined the incident was not a Bias Intimidation crime and no charges will be filed.
A spokesperson for the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said they contacted Alexander about the decision not to file charges.
"Alexander said he is very appreciative of the investigative efforts of the detectives from Middle Township and from the Prosecutor’s Office and he agrees with and accepts the decision not to charge this individual at this time," the spokesperson wrote.
