Larry Bushart from Tennessee won a settlement of $835,000 on Wednesday, after suing Perry County officials over his arrest after a Facebook post he made about the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Bushart, a 61-year-old retired police officer, spent 37 days in jail before authorities dropped the felony charge against him in October. Many others across the United States also faced repercussions over social media comments about Kirk, including losing their jobs, which sparked widespread backlash.
According to a federal lawsuit filed by Bushart in December against Perry County, its sheriff, and the investigator who obtained the arrest warrant, he lost his postretirement job, and missed his wedding anniversary and the birth of his grandaughter while he was behind bars.
Bushart made a statement announcing the settlement, “I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated. 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.”
Perry County Mayor John Carroll is yet to comment on the settlement.
Perry County police arrested Bushart in September after he refused to take down a Facebook meme about Kirk’s assassination.
The post read: “This seems relevant today…” and showed President Donald Trump with the words, “We have to get over it”. Trump made the quote after a school shooting at Iowa’s Perry High School in 2024.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weeks told the media that while Bushart’s “hate memes” were lawful free speech, residents were concerned about the school shooting post and assumed he was threatening a local school called Perry County High School, although Weems said he knew Bushart was referring to a school in Iowa.
The case drew national attention last year, leading to Bushart’s release after 37 days behind bars.
Carry Davis of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which represented Bushart, said, “It’s in times of turmoil and heightened tensions that our national commitment to free speech is tested the most. 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.”
