Tennessee man jailed over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement

[LetMyPeopleVote]

32. Deadline Legal Blog-Man jailed 37 days for Charlie Kirk social media post wins $835,000 settlement

“In America, we do not jail people for political speech,” retired officer Larry Bushart said in his complaint against Tennessee law enforcement.

Man jailed 37 days for Charlie Kirk social media post wins 5,000 settlement - MS NOW apple.news/Al57T18aHRZO...

— (@oc88.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T18:47:48.675Z

https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/larry-bushart-jailed-charlie-kirk-social-media-post-settlement

It’s hard to call the transparently corrupt conclusion of President Donald Trump’s shakedown lawsuit against the IRS a “settlement,” because that would imply opposing parties had reached a real agreement, as opposed to Trump using the power of the presidency to loot our tax coffers.

News of a more traditional settlement came Wednesday in an unrelated case with a tangential Trump connection, stemming from one of the lawsuits filed by people punished for their speech in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination last year.

The $835,000 settlement came in a case brought by Larry Bushart. He sued Tennessee law enforcement officials who arrested him over a social media post following Kirk’s killing. Bushart, a retired law enforcement officer himself, was jailed for 37 days before his baseless charge was dropped.....

“It is clearly established that the First Amendment prohibits government officials from arresting people for protected political speech,” Bushart’s lawyers wrote in his complaint alleging violations of the First and Fourth Amendments against Perry County, Weems and Morrow. The complaint said he filed the suit to “vindicate his constitutional rights and to deter Sheriff Weems, Investigator Morrow, and similarly situated officials from future misconduct.”

A joint statement accompanying the settlement said that “Without admitting fault or liability on the part of the defendants, Perry County’s insurer has agreed to pay Mr. Bushart $835,000 in exchange for dismissing his complaint.”....

Bushart said he’s “pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated” and that “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.”

Charlie Kirk was NOT a saint and criticism of Kirk is allowed under the First Amendment. This sheriff who made this arrest is an idiot.