Man wins $835K after sheriff jailed him for a month over Charlie Kirk post

Source: Ars Technica

Background

Larry Bushart posted a meme referencing a past school shooting. Sheriff Weems allegedly hoped that the threat of arrest would pressure Bushart into removing the post, but Bushart refused to be censored.

Arrest footage

A short video of the arrest is available on YouTube Shorts. In the footage, Bushart tells the arresting officer that he never made a threat, and several jail officers appear confused about the basis for the arrest. An exchange reviewed by The Intercept captures Bushart sharing a laugh with an officer about the absurdity of the charge:

“Just to clarify, this is what they charged you with—Threatening Mass Violence at a School,” a Perry County jail officer told Bushart.
“At a school?” Bushart asked.
“I ain’t got a clue,” the officer responded, laughing. “I just gotta do what I have to do.”
“I’ve been Facebook jail, but now I’m really in it,” Bushart said, joining him in laughing.

Legal findings

FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) noted that Weems “knew at the time of the arrest that Larry’s Facebook post was a pre‑existing meme that referred to an actual shooting that took place in a different state, over 500 miles away,” yet proceeded with the arrest, violating Bushart’s constitutional rights in retaliation for protected speech.

The organization also highlighted that Bushart is one of roughly 600 individuals identified by Reuters as having been punished for making controversial online statements about Charlie Kirk’s death, part of a broader government‑backed campaign targeting political speech. See the Reuters investigation: How 600 Americans were punished in a pro‑Trump crackdown.

Reactions

FIRE staff attorney Cary Davis said the settlement underscores the resilience of the First Amendment:

“It’s in times of turmoil and heightened tensions that our national commitment to free speech is tested the most. When government officials fail that test, the Constitution exists to hold them accountable. Our hope is that Larry’s settlement sends a message to law enforcement across the country: Respect the First Amendment today, or be prepared to pay the price tomorrow.”