Ex-Cop Posted a Meme About Charlie Kirk’s Assassination, Spent 37 Days in Jail, and Now He’s Suing

A Tennessee retired cop says a single Facebook post turned into a 37-day nightmare behind bars, and now he is pushing back with a federal lawsuit.

Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old former police officer, filed a 30-page civil complaint in federal court this week, accusing local officials of trampling his free speech rights after arresting him over a meme connected to news surrounding conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Bushart says the case against him was built on fear and assumption rather than facts.

Court records show Bushart shared a meme about a Tennessee vigil that included the phrase “This seems relevant today,” paired with a quote from Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, saying, “We have to get over it,” a remark Trump made after a school shooting in Des Moines, Iowa. Authorities claimed the post suggested a threat toward a local school with a similar name.

Bushart was arrested the following day and charged with threatening mass violence. Prosecutors set bond at $2 million, an amount he could not afford. He remained jailed for more than five weeks until the charge was dropped in October, and he was released.

The lawsuit names Perry County, along with the county sheriff and a county investigator, alleging they ignored context and misrepresented his post to justify the arrest. Bushart says the ordeal damaged his finances, reputation, and emotional well-being.

He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, arguing that his punishment stemmed from speaking his mind, not from any real threat.