OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
9:19 AM – Thursday, May 21, 2026
A man who was jailed for 37 days over a Facebook meme he posted after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination will receive a settlement of $835,000 from Tennessee officials.
Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old retired police officer from Tennessee, was in jail under a $2 million bond in September and October before authorities dropped a felony charge against him.
“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated,” Bushart said in a Wednesday statement announcing the settlement provided by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), the organization that represented him in the case.
“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,” he added.
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Though many lost jobs over online posts and statements mocking and celebrating the conservative activist’s death in September, Buchart’s case stood out due to the criminal prosecution that followed.
The retired police officer filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in December against Tennessee’s Perry county, its sheriff and the investigator who obtained the arrest warrant.
Bushart lost his post-retirement job and missed both his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter while in jail, a filing claimed.
The meme that led to the arrest had the caption, “This seems relevant today…” and featured President Donald Trump saying “We have to get over it.” The post explained that Trump had said this after a high school shooting in Perry, Iowa, during his 2024 campaign.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems said that most of Bushart’s posts constituted lawful free speech, but residents were concerned by the school shooting post.
The arrest warrant was also based on the fear that the meme could be interpreted as a threat against Perry County High School in Tennessee, FIRE said.
The group emphasized that Burshart did not create or alter the meme himself.
“No one should be hauled off to jail in the dark of night over a harmless meme just because the authorities disagree with its message,” said FIRE senior attorney Adam Steinbaugh. “We’re pleased that Larry has been compensated for this injustice, but local law enforcement never should have forced him to endure this ordeal in the first place.”
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