‘This is a victimless crime’: Fight over South Milwaukee skeleton decorations continues

SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis (CBS 58) -- Sean Oster lives on N. Chicago Avenue in South Milwaukee, and if you drive by his house, you can’t miss it.

Oster and his wife have two 12-foot skeletons in their front yard that have been up year-round since late 2024.

“My wife likes Halloween and I like to be nice to my wife because it works out for me,” Oster said. “She decorates them for each holiday; it’s not just Halloween.”

Earlier this summer, the city of South Milwaukee sent Oster a “Notice of Violation” letter for several violations.

The violations include:

• Large Halloween decorations being displayed not during appropriate time of year and miscellaneous/temporary structures existing for longer than allowed 60 days
• Junk, tires, gas powered equipment being stored in rear yard area of property
• 2 disabled/non-operable vehicles stored on property

The letter states that if the violations are not taken care of by Tuesday July 7, Oster would be fined $500 per day.

“The whole thing comes down to, there was a list of things they wanted done which were all taken care of,” Oster said. “I have no problem with any of that, but this is a victimless crime as they say.”

South Milwaukee mayor Brett Briesemeister tells CBS 58 that this a standard code compliance situation that got complicated because of the skeletons.

Neither Briesemeister or City Attorney Chris Smith could answer whether Oster would be fined if he does not take the skeletons down, and that an inspector would be out for a reinspection.

For now, the skeletons will stay up.

“They fine me, they fine me, I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Oster said. “I think it’s a little bit ridiculous I mean there are far worse things to deal with right now than this.”’