A Tennessee man who was thrown in jail for more than a month after posting a Facebook meme mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk has reached a massive settlement with local officials.
According to reports, 61-year-old retired police officer Larry Bushart will receive roughly $835,000 to $850,000 after suing Perry County officials over his arrest and 37-day incarceration tied to social media posts authorities claimed caused “fear” in the community.
Bushart was arrested in September after he refused to delete Facebook memes posted following Kirk’s assassination. One meme reportedly featured President Donald Trump alongside his remark after the 2024 Perry High School shooting in Iowa: “We have to get over it.” Bushart captioned the meme: “This seems relevant today…”
Despite the meme referring to the Iowa school shooting, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems claimed local residents interpreted it as a threat against Perry County High School in Tennessee, according to AP.
According to The People:
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems said that some in the county perceived the meme as a threat against a local school, also called Perry County High School. The sheriff’s office asked the police department in Bushart’s town to send an officer to his home. Bodycam video released by Bushart’s attorneys shows that Bushart and the responding officer were confused as to why he had been dispatched.
“So I’m just going to be completely honest with you, I have really no idea what they’re talking about,” the officer said in the video. “He had just called me and said that there was some concerning posts that were made on Facebook. I don’t know exactly what they’re referring to. They said that something was insinuating violence.”
“No it wasn’t,” Larry responded. “I’m not going to take it down.”
Authorities arrested Bushart on a felony charge of threatening mass violence at a school and slapped him with an eye-popping $2 million bond.
The charges were ultimately dropped in October.
Bushart, backed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), sued the county, the sheriff, and the investigator for allegedly violating his First Amendment rights.
During his time behind bars, he reportedly lost his post-retirement job, missed his wedding anniversary, and was unable to be present for the birth of his granddaughter.
In a statement after the settlement was announced, Bushart said:
“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated.”
Former Tennessee police officer Larry Bushart, who was jailed after posting a meme following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, will receive an $835,000 settlement after prosecutors dropped the case against him. pic.twitter.com/sLnIk7Q2bK
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 20, 2026
Jim Hᴏft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.
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