$835,000 Settlement For Man Jailed Over C. Kirk Post

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Tennessee officials will pay $835,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a man who was jailed for more than a month over a Facebook post he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. While many people across the U.S. lost their jobs over social media comments about Kirk's death, Larry Bushart's case stood out as a rare instance in which such online speech led to criminal prosecution. The 61-year-old retired police officer spent 37 days behind bars before authorities dropped the felony charge against him in October. During his time in jail, Bushart lost his postretirement job and missed his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter, according to a federal lawsuit Bushart filed in December against Perry County, its sheriff and the investigator who obtained the arrest warrant.

Posted by reinheitsgebot at 01:30 PM | 9 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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#1 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-05-20 01:57 PM | Reply

This should be paid by TP or the estate. All the officials involved should lose their jobs. Taxpayers should not be on the hook for all this stupidity.

#2 | Posted by mattm at 2026-05-20 03:26 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Police officers should be required to carry insurance for this, like we are required to maintain car insurance.

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-05-20 03:31 PM | Reply

-Taxpayers should not be on the hook for all this stupidity.

They are everywhere.

Wrongful arrests are made all the time that lead to a civil action. Mistakes made after arrests while people are being held also generate similar civil actions.

Municipalities with law enforcement/jails carry insurance for this.

Taxpayers pay for the premiums and the deductibles/retentions.

#4 | Posted by eberly at 2026-05-20 06:13 PM | Reply

Over Facebook posts? Really Beverly? You that ------- stupid?

#5 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-05-20 09:45 PM | Reply

Tennessee taxpayers to foot the bill for the fascist sheriff.

#6 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-05-21 07:23 AM | Reply

You should be able to say what you want regardless of how despicable it is. You're not free from the consequences of those words, but the consequences can't come from the Gov't. It's really that simple, how the hell did this turn into a felony arrest? SMH.

#7 | Posted by kwrx25 at 2026-05-21 10:34 AM | Reply

-It's really that simple, how the hell did this turn into a felony arrest?

By arguing they had reason to believe he was threatening a school.....when they knew he wasn't.

#8 | Posted by eberly at 2026-05-21 11:07 AM | Reply

It's really that simple, how the hell did this turn into a felony arrest? SMH.

Because politics have become so central to far too many people's identities and they act without thinking when they think their tribe has been wronged.

The entire response to Kirk's killing was a disturbing microcosm of just how far down a dark road we are.

From the celebrations of his death to the response to those celebrations (doxxing websites set up to unmask anyone and everyone who posted negative things about Kirk during the aftermath) to the "memorial" complete with pyrotechnics and merch. LOL I saw a few white dudes in their 40s and 50s walking around wearing hoodies that said "We Are Charlie Kirk" on the front of it. Can you honestly tell me they were big followers of Kirk and that they had any familiarity with him before he was shot?

#9 | Posted by jpw at 2026-05-21 12:11 PM | Reply