Retired police officer jailed over Charlie Kirk post settles lawsuit for more than $800K

Retired police officer jailed over Charlie Kirk post settles lawsuit for more than $800K11 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAna FaguyCourtesy LadyJay Creations LLC/FIRELarry Bushart spent 37 days behind barsA Tennessee man who was jailed for more than month following his arrest over a Facebook post related to the killing of Charlie Kirk has settled a "unlawful incarceration" lawsuit for $835,000 (£621,000).Larry Bushart, a retired police officer, spent 37 days behind bars before authorities dropped the felony charges against him, during which he lost his post-retirement job and missed the birth of his grandchild.He was arrested last September by the Perry County Sheriff's Office for sharing a meme in a thread about a vigil honouring the conservative activist."I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated," Bushart said in a statement announcing the settlement on Wednesday."The people's freedom to participate in civil discourse is crucial to a healthy democracy," his statement went on to say. "I am looking forward to moving on and spending time with my family."The BBC has contacted the county for comment. Bushart is among dozens of Americans who faced some form of sanction - from online criticism to losing their jobs - for social media comments about the shooting death of Kirk. Bushart is the only person known to have gone to jail for a post. He posted the meme 10 days after Kirk was shot and killed at an outdoor speaking event in Utah.It featured a comment - "Seems relevant today" - alongside a partial quote from President Donald Trump: "We have to get over it" The quote was part of a message of condolence the president made in 2024, shortly after a school shooting in Perry, Iowa. The day after Bushart shared the meme, officers came to his home and arrested him for "threatening mass violence at a school".Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems told US media at the time t...