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Tennessee Officer Gets $835K Settlement After Threat Jail

5/23/2026

38 3 Full Breakdown

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Larry Bushart Settlement

The payout continues a series of settlements for people jailed over speech linked to September killing of activist Charlie Kirk.
Officer Larry Bushart received an $835,000 settlement in Tennessee after serving 37 days in jail for Facebook post deemed threat.
Bail was set at $2 million, keeping him detained until the felony charge was dismissed.
Comparable deals include $500,000 for an Austin Peay professor and $125,000 for an Iowa public defender.

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Bushart Wins Settlement

A meme paired a photo of President Donald Trump with a caption echoing his 2024 comment after a school shooting.
Tennessee court approved a settlement with officer Larry Bushart after his 37-day incarceration for a Facebook post deemed a threat.
Bushart said the settlement vindicates his First Amendment rights and lets him reunite with family.
Attorney Adam Steinbaugh called arrest an injustice, saying police should not jail a harmless meme.

History

Historical Context

1969’s Tinker v. Des Moines decision, authored by Justice Abe Fortas, protected students’ symbolic protest of the Vietnam War and created the “substantial disruption” test. That precedent underpins today’s Tennessee settlement, where Officer Larry Bushart received an $835,000 award after a $2 million bail, illustrating how Tinker continues to shape First Amendment challenges to government-driven speech suppression.

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Larry Bushart Settlement

The payout continues a series of settlements for people jailed over speech linked to September killing of activist Charlie Kirk.
Officer Larry Bushart received an $835,000 settlement in Tennessee after serving 37 days in jail for Facebook post deemed threat.
Bail was set at $2 million, keeping him detained until the felony charge was dismissed.
Comparable deals include $500,000 for an Austin Peay professor and $125,000 for an Iowa public defender.

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