Tennessee County Settles For $835,000 With Man Jailed Over Charlie Kirk Facebook Meme
On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Perry County, Tennessee, agreed to pay $835,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by Larry Bushart over his arrest for a Facebook post about Charlie Kirk.[1]
Perry County's insurer will pay the amount in exchange for dismissing his complaint, and the defendants will not admit fault, the settlement papers say.[2] Bushart said he was pleased that his First Amendment rights had been vindicated and that he wanted to move on.[2] Sheriff Nick Weems said he felt responsible for protecting children and that he was satisfied the matter is resolved.[2]
Bushart, 61, is a retired police officer who spent 37 days in jail on a $2 million bond before the felony charge was dropped in October 2025.[1] He posted a meme under a local vigil post that read "This seems relevant today...." MS NOW The image showed former President Donald Trump with the quote "We have to get over it," and referenced a Perry High School shooting in Iowa.[2] Sheriff Weems said he knew the meme referenced the Iowa shooting but alleged Bushart intentionally sought to create "mass hysteria" in Perry County.[2]
Bushart's federal complaint argued the arrest violated clearly established First Amendment protections against retaliation for political speech, and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression called the settlement a vindication.[1] CBS News aired a segment on the settlement and reiterated that Bushart had been jailed 37 days over the Facebook post.[3]
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Associated Press reporting via PBS News specified that Tennessee officials will pay $835,000 to settle Larry Bushart’s federal lawsuit, while other reporting said the payment resolves his claims without admission of fault.
- MS NOW reporting says the [meme] (https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/larry-bushart-jailed-charlie-kirk-social-media-post-settlement) Bushart shared read "This seems relevant today..." above a photo of former President Donald Trump with the quote "We have to get over it," and was posted under a local vigil post referencing the Perry High School (Iowa) shooting.
- Larry Bushart, 61, is a retired police officer who spent 37 days in jail on a $2 million bond, lost his postretirement job, missed his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter, and had the felony charge dropped in October 2025.
- Sheriff Nick Weems said he knew the meme referred to the Iowa shooting but argued Bushart "intentionally sought to create hysteria" and that the post could spark "mass hysteria," and he later emphasized his responsibility to protect children and said he was satisfied the matter is resolved.
- Attorney Cary Davis of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression framed the settlement as a First Amendment vindication, saying, "When government officials fail that test, the Constitution exists to hold them accountable."
- Reporting cites Bushart's complaint that his arrest violated clearly established First Amendment protections against retaliation for political speech.
- CBS News aired a May 20, 2026 segment reiterating that Bushart will receive $835,000 to settle his lawsuit and that he was jailed 37 days in connection with the Facebook post about Charlie Kirk's assassination.
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.