A Tennessee man who spent more than a month in jail after posting a meme featuring U.S. President Donald Trump in a Facebook group honoring late conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been released after prosecutors dropped all charges.
Larry Bushart, 61, from Lexington, Tennessee, was arrested on September 21 and charged with making threats of mass violence on school property.
Highlights
- Larry Bushart spent over a month jailed for posting a meme featuring Trump related to Charlie Kirk’s vigil before charges were dropped.
- Bushart’s meme quoted Trump’s response to a 2024 Iowa school shooting, sparking fear by seeming to reference a local Tennessee school.
- Bushart, a retired cop known for political memes, lost his medical transport job during detention on a $2 million bond.
The charge stemmed from a meme he shared in a Facebook group organizing a vigil for Kirk.
Larry Bushart was released after spending more than a month in jail
Image credits: Perry County Sheriff's Office
The meme quoted Trump’s response to a 2024 school shooting in Perry, Iowa, saying, “We have to get over it,” and was captioned by Bushart, “This seems relevant today.”
Members of the group reportedly believed it referred to Perry County High School, a local school in Tennessee. Concerned residents contacted law enforcement, leading to Bushart’s arrest.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems said investigators believed Bushart’s post was intended to cause fear.
“Investigators believe Bushart was fully aware of the fear his post would cause and intentionally sought to create hysteria within the community,” Weems told The Tennessean at the time of the arrest.
Image credits: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
However, on Wednesday, Weems confirmed to Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 that the charges had been dropped.
“The charges were [dropped] about 15 minutes ago,” he said, shortly after giving a televised interview in which he admitted that authorities knew the meme was not a threat but were reacting to public concern.
“So, I’m just going to be completely honest with you, I have really no idea what they are talking about, he had just called me and said there was some concerning posts that were made,” a Lexington officer told Bushart, according to bodycam footage obtained by NewsChannel 5.
Bushart appeared puzzled by the police visit and responded, “Oh, I do, Charlie Kirk,” before refusing to delete the post.
Image credits: The White House
Sheriff Weems later said that Bushart likely would not have been arrested if he had agreed to remove the meme.
Bushart is a retired law enforcement officer known in his town for posting his liberal memes and political statements.
He has previously likened Trump’s followers to a cult, fought with vaccine skeptics, and posted memes about Trump’s increasing authoritarianism. After Kirk’s murder, Bushart wrote about why the conservative activist did not deserve to be glorified.
Bushart, a retired cop, regularly posted criticism and memes related to Trump on Facebook
Image credits: Lexington Police
On the thread about the vigil group, Bushart posted more than the meme he was charged for, with one showing a scene from The Sopranos.
“Tony, Charlie Kirk died,” Carmela Soprano says in the meme. “Who gives a sh*t,” Tony replies.
Another meme appeared to show the moment Kirk was shot, captioned, “Release the Epstein Files.”
After Bushart was arrested and taken to jail, an officer unfolded the warrant paper and read it to him.
“Just to clarify, this is what they charged you with: Threatening Mass Violence at a School,” he said.
“At a school?” Bushart said, confused.
“I ain’t got a clue,” the officer responded. “I just gotta do what I have to do.”
“I’ve been in Facebook jail but now I’m really in it,” Bushart said. “I may have been an asshole but…”
“That’s not illegal,” the officer said.
The month-long detention took a toll on Bushart’s personal and professional life, with local reports saying he lost his job in medical transport while being held in jail on a $2 million bond.
Kirk, co-founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, was assassinated in September while speaking at Utah Valley University.
His killing sparked a wave of emotion across the country, leading to memorial events and vigils in several states, including Tennessee.
Many people were criticized for their comments on Kirk’s death. Prosecutors did not specify why Bushart was released or why the charges were dropped.