Tennessee man jailed over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement.
Charlie Kirk Assassination Posts Case Ends With $835,000 Settlement for Tennessee Man
May 20 2026, Published 5:05 p.m. ET
A Tennessee man spent 37 days in jail over a Facebook post about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. He will receive $835,000 from a settlement with local officials after his felony charge was dropped, and he filed a lawsuit regarding his arrest.
Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old retired police officer, was arrested in September after sharing memes on Facebook about Kirk’s death. The case gained national attention because online comments related to Kirk’s assassination had led to job losses for several people, but Bushart’s situation became a rare case of criminal prosecution connected to such speech.
Tennessee man was held in jail for a month.
In December, Bushart filed a federal lawsuit against Perry County, Sheriff Nick Weems, and the investigator who obtained the arrest warrant. The lawsuit claimed that officials violated his constitutional rights by arresting him over a post he argued was protected political speech.
“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been upheld,” Bushart said in a statement about the settlement on Wednesday. “The people’s freedom to engage in civil discourse is essential for a healthy democracy. I look forward to moving on and spending time with my family.”
Bushart spent over a month in jail before authorities dropped the felony charge in October. His bail had been set at $2 million. His lawsuit stated he lost his post-retirement job, missed his wedding anniversary, and missed the birth of his granddaughter while he was incarcerated.
The arrest followed Bushart’s refusal to remove Facebook memes related to Kirk’s killing.
Kirk, a conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was mourned by many conservatives after his death, including in Perry County, Tennessee, where residents held a candlelight vigil.
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One meme that led to Bushart’s arrest featured Donald Trump with the words “We have to get over it.” The meme claimed the quote came from Trump’s 2024 comments after a school shooting at Perry High School in Iowa.
Authorities stated some residents feared the post referred to Perry County High School in Tennessee. Weems later clarified he knew the meme referred to the Iowa school, not the local Tennessee school.
The sheriff told news outlets that most of Bushart’s “hate memes” were lawful speech but noted that the school-related post had alarmed residents. In a statement to The Tennessean at the time, Weems said investigators believed Bushart understood the potential reaction to the post and intended to instill fear in the community.
Bushart’s lawyers contested that claim. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which assisted in representing him, stated officials provided no evidence that anyone viewed the meme as an actual threat.
FIRE stated the settlement concludes the case and should warn law enforcement about making arrests related to political speech.
“It’s during times of upheaval and heightened tensions that our commitment to free speech is most tested,” Cary Davis, an attorney for FIRE, said in a statement. “When government officials fail that test, the Constitution is there to hold them accountable.”
“Our hope is that Larry’s settlement sends a message to law enforcement nationwide: respect the First Amendment today, or be ready to face consequences tomorrow,” Davis added.
Perry County Mayor John Carroll did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Wednesday, according to The Guardian.
The settlement resolves the federal lawsuit without going to trial and provides Bushart with financial compensation after what his lawyers described as punishment for political expression.