Tennessee Officials Drop Charges Against Man Jailed Over Charlie Kirk Meme
Larry Bushart, 61, spent more than five weeks in jail due to a Facebook post that mocked the killing of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk. Authorities in Tennessee have now dropped the felony charge against him.
Details of the Case
Bushart faced a felony charge for threatening mass violence at a school related to a meme he posted about the 10 September killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. His case was unusual as many others across the US lost jobs over social media comments about Kirk’s death, but few led to criminal prosecution.
Controversy and Reactions
The arrest raised concerns among free speech advocates. Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems was accused of targeting Bushart due to his political opinions. Bushart is a former law enforcement officer who posted several memes on Facebook making light of the killing.
The meme that led to Bushart’s arrest featured Donald Trump with the words, “We have to get over it.” The meme explained this was a quote by the president last year after a school shooting at Iowa’s Perry High School.
Resolution
Prosecutors dismissed the charge, and Bushart was released on Wednesday after more than a month in jail.
Author’s summary: Tennessee dropped charges against Larry Bushart, who was jailed over a Facebook meme about Charlie Kirk’s killing, sparking debate over free speech and political bias.