Perry County, Tennessee – Officials agreed to pay $835,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by a retired police officer who spent 37 days in jail over a Facebook meme posted after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Larry Bushart was arrested last September after refusing to remove memes mocking reactions to Kirk’s assassination. One post referenced comments President Donald Trump made following a 2024 Iowa school shooting, stating, “We have to get over it.” Authorities claimed local residents feared the meme threatened Perry County High School, although investigators acknowledged the reference involved a different school in Iowa.
Bushart was charged with a felony and held on $2 million bail before prosecutors dropped the case weeks later. During his detention, Bushart lost his job and missed major family events, including the birth of his granddaughter.
The lawsuit accused Perry County officials of violating Bushart’s First Amendment rights. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which helped represent him, called the prosecution a dangerous example of government overreach targeting protected political speech.
Sheriff Nick Weems previously defended the arrest, arguing investigators believed Bushart intentionally sought to create fear and public hysteria through the posts.
The settlement is likely to intensify ongoing national debates over online speech, political extremism, and the limits of law enforcement authority involving social media activity.
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