Full Breakdown
Settlement Resolves Larry Bushart's First Amendment Lawsuit
5/20/2026, 10:14:19 PM
Background: Kirk's Murder and Online Reactions
Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator, was shot dead at a Utah debate last September. The killing prompted intense online commentary. On September 22, former Lexington police officer Larry Bushart posted a meme on a Perry County community-group page showing President Donald Trump with the caption “We have to get over it,” referencing a 2024 Iowa school shooting. Local officials interpreted the post as a possible threat to Perry High School and arrested Bushart on charges of threatening mass violence on school property.
Key Actors and Legal Claims
Bushart sued Perry County, Sheriff Nick Weems, and investigator Jason Morrow, alleging violations of his First Amendment free-speech rights and Fourth Amendment protection against unlawful arrest. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) assisted the lawsuit. Perry County’s insurer later agreed to fund a settlement.
Settlement Details and Financial Impact
The agreement gives Bushart $835,000 and requires him to dismiss the suit. The county and officials admit no wrongdoing; the insurer will pay. Bushart was held on $2 million bail for 37 days, lost his medical-transport job, and missed personal milestones.
Official Responses from Law Enforcement
Sheriff Weems said Bushart’s post was meant to reference Perry High School and that “numerous teachers, parents and students” feared a hypothetical shooting. County officials declined comment on the settlement. The defendants argued that even if a constitutional breach occurred, “the officers would have no way of knowing that.”
Criticism from Civil-Liberties Advocates
FIRE senior attorney Adam Steinbaugh called the arrest “a harmless meme” and argued that law-enforcement should not imprison individuals over such speech. FIRE staff attorney Cary Davis said “it’s in times of turmoil and heightened tensions that our national commitment to free speech is tested the most.”
Personal Consequences for Bushart
During incarceration Bushart lost his post-retirement position, missed his anniversary and his grandchild’s birth, and reports lingering fear of political speech.
Conflicting Accounts and Gaps
Sheriff Weems claimed Bushart “intentionally sought to create hysteria,” yet public-records requests to Perry County Schools yielded no documentation of community reaction. The county’s refusal to release internal communications leaves the scope of the alleged threat unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated,” — Larry Bushart, former Lexington police officer
- “No one should be hauled off to jail in the dark of night over a harmless meme just because the authorities disagree with its message,” — Adam Steinbaugh, senior attorney, FIRE
- “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.” — Larry Bushart, former Lexington police officer
