Tennessee County To Pay $850,000 To Man Jailed 37 Days Over Charlie Kirk Meme
Perry County, Tennessee agreed to pay retired officer Larry Bushart roughly $835,000 to settle his federal lawsuit over a 37-day jail stint after a Facebook meme, sources reported Wednesday.[1]
Perry County's insurer will pay the amount in exchange for dismissing his complaint, with no admission of fault by the defendants, MS NOW reported.[2] Fox News later reported a different figure, saying the payout was $850,000.[3] Bushart, 61, spent 37 days jailed under a $2 million bond before the felony charge was dropped in October 2025.[1] His lawsuit says he lost his postretirement job and missed his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter.[1]
His Facebook post showed former President Donald Trump with the caption "This seems relevant today..." above Trump's quote "We have to get over it." PBS That image echoed Trump's 2024 comments after a Perry High School shooting in Iowa.[2] Sheriff Nick Weems publicly warned the image could trigger "mass hysteria" in Perry County even though he acknowledged it referred to the Iowa shooting, reporting said.[2]
Lawyers with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression called the settlement a vindication of First Amendment rights.[1] Later coverage broadened the frame, with Fox quoting FIRE attorney Adam Steinbaugh who warned against jailing people over "harmless memes" and noting the group represents other public servants disciplined for posts after Charlie Kirk's assassination.[3]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, PBS reported that Larry Bushart will receive $835,000 to settle his federal lawsuit against Tennessee officials over his arrest for a Facebook post about Charlie Kirk's assassination (Larry Bushart).
- MS NOW reported that Perry County's insurer will pay $835,000 in exchange for dismissing Bushart's complaint without any admission of fault by the defendants (Perry County's insurer).
- Fox News published a different figure for the payout, reporting the settlement as $850,000 on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
- Bushart, 61 and a retired police officer, spent 37 days in jail under a $2 million bond, lost his postretirement job and missed family milestones before the felony charge was dropped in October 2025, PBS reported.
- The post that led to his arrest was [the meme] (a graphic reading "This seems relevant today..." above former President Donald Trump's quote "We have to get over it") referencing Trump’s 2024 comments after the Perry High School (Iowa) shooting, as described by MS NOW and PBS (the meme).
- MS NOW and PBS report Sheriff Nick Weems said he knew the meme referred to the Iowa shooting but argued Bushart "intentionally sought to create hysteria" and warned it could spark "mass hysteria" in Perry County, Tennessee.
- The settlement was described as a First Amendment vindication by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE); PBS quoted FIRE attorney Cary Davis saying, "When government officials fail that test, the Constitution exists to hold them accountable" (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression).
- Fox News quoted FIRE attorney Adam Steinbaugh saying, "No one should be hauled off to jail in the dark of night over a harmless meme," and noted FIRE is also representing Monica Weeks, a public servant fired for a Facebook post criticizing Charlie Kirk.
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
May 21, 2026
12:21 AM
Tennessee man jailed 37 days over Facebook meme mocking Charlie Kirk's death wins $850K settlement
New information:
- Fox News reports the settlement amount as $850,000, compared with earlier accounts citing $835,000.
- Article reiterates that Bushart was jailed 37 days under a $2 million bond before the felony charge was dropped in October 2025.
- Story quotes Bushart saying on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, that he is pleased his First Amendment rights were vindicated and that he looks forward to moving on with his family.
- FIRE attorney Adam Steinbaugh is quoted saying, "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."
- FIRE notes it is representing another client, Monica Weeks, a public servant fired for a Facebook post criticizing Charlie Kirk after his assassination, as part of a broader pattern of post-assassination online speech crackdowns.
May 20, 2026
5:51 PM
Man thrown in jail for 37 days over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement
New information:
- CBS News aired a segment on May 20, 2026, reporting that Larry Bushart will receive $835,000 to settle his lawsuit against Tennessee officials over his arrest and 37-day jailing for a Facebook post about Charlie Kirk's assassination.
- The CBS piece reiterates that Bushart spent 37 days in jail before release in connection with the social media post and confirms the settlement amount being paid to resolve his claims.
5:30 PM
A Tennessee man was jailed over his Charlie Kirk social media comments. Now he's won a $835,000 settlement
New information:
- On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Associated Press reporting via PBS specified that Tennessee officials will pay $835,000 to settle Larry Bushart’s federal lawsuit over his arrest for a Facebook post about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- The article details that Bushart, 61, is a retired police officer who spent 37 days in jail, lost his postretirement job, and missed his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter before the felony charge was dropped in October 2025.
- It describes the meme that led to his arrest as a graphic reading "This seems relevant today..." above former President Donald Trump and the quote "We have to get over it," referencing Trump’s 2024 comments after the Perry High School shooting in Iowa.
- Sheriff Nick Weems is quoted from prior statements saying he knew the meme referred to the Iowa school but argued Bushart "intentionally sought to create hysteria" in Perry County, Tennessee, which also has a Perry County High School.
- Attorney Cary Davis of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression is quoted saying, "When government officials fail that test, the Constitution exists to hold them accountable," framing the settlement as a First Amendment vindication.
4:41 PM
Man jailed 37 days for Charlie Kirk social media post wins $835,000 settlement
New information:
- Article confirms the $835,000 settlement figure and that Perry County's insurer will pay the amount "in exchange for dismissing his complaint" without any admission of fault by the defendants.
- It details Bushart's underlying speech, including that one meme quoted President Trump's "We have to get over it" comment about a Perry High School (Iowa) shooting with Bushart adding the caption "This seems relevant today..." under a local vigil post.
- The piece specifies that Sheriff Nick Weems allegedly knew the meme referred to an Iowa shooting but still publicly claimed it might spark "mass hysteria" if interpreted as predicting what Trump would say after a hypothetical Perry County High School shooting.
- The article restates that Bushart was held 37 days on a $2 million bond before the charge was dropped and quotes from his complaint that the arrest violated clearly established First Amendment protections against retaliation for political speech.
- The story includes on-the-record settlement statements: Bushart saying he is pleased his First Amendment rights have been vindicated and wants to move on, and Weems emphasizing his responsibility to protect children and expressing satisfaction that the matter is resolved.