Tennessee officials have agreed to pay nearly a million dollars to settle a lawsuit over a man's month-long jail stay tied to social media posts about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
The state will pay $835,000 to resolve claims brought by Larry Bushart, a retired police officer jailed for 37 days after posting memes about Kirk's death before felony charges were dropped in October, according to the Associated Press.
Bushart filed a federal lawsuit in December against Perry County, its sheriff, and an investigator who obtained the arrest warrant, alleging the arrest stemmed from protected speech and led to significant personal losses, including the loss of his post-retirement job, missing his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter.
“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated.” Bushart said in a statement. “The people's freedom to participate in civil discourse is crucial to a healthy democracy. I am looking forward to moving on and spending time with my family.”
Bushart was arrested after refusing to remove memes that referenced Kirk's killing.
One post read, "This seems relevant today..." and showed President Donald Trump alongside the words, "We have to get over it." The meme explained Trump had made the remark in 2024 after a school shooting at lowa's Perry High School.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems said while most of Bushart's posts were lawful speech, residents feared the meme referenced Perry County High School in Tennessee, not the lowa school. Weems said, "Investigators believe Bushart was fully aware of the fear his post would cause and intentionally sought to create hysteria within the community."
Bushart's bail was set at $2 million before he was released.
"It's in times of turmoil and heightened tensions that our national commitment to free speech is tested the most,” said Cary Davis, an attorney for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which helped represent Bushart.
He added, "When government officials fail that test, the Constitution exists to hold them accountable. Our hope is that Larry's settlement sends a message to law enforcement across the country: Respect the First Amendment today, or be prepared to pay the price tomorrow."
Charlie Kirk, a right-wing media personality co-founder of conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025 during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
At the time of the shooting, Kirk was speaking at the university as part of his America Comeback Tour, inviting students to debate him about political and social issues.
