Alabama woman gets a year in jail for hanging racially offensive dolls on Black neighbors’ fence

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A south Alabama woman has been sentenced to a year in prison for hanging racially offensive homemade dolls on her Black neighbors’ fence in an attempt to get them to move.

Cheryl Lynn Pytleski, 64, of Chancellor, pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of her neighbors and was sentenced Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Sandra Stewart said Thursday in a news release.

Authorities said Pytleski put out the dolls on Oct. 18, 2019, at her neighbors’ home in Dale County. She pleaded guilty in March to a criminal violation of the Fair Housing Act.

According to her plea agreement, Pytleski admitted to using the threat of force to intimidate her neighbors because of their race and because they were occupying a dwelling next to her.

The 12-month sentence is the maximum allowed under the federal law.