Authorities in Tennessee have recently dismissed a felony charge against Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old former law enforcement officer who spent over a month in jail due to a controversial Facebook post regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Unlike many individuals across the United States who faced job losses for similar social media comments about Kirk's death, Bushart's case was notable as one of the rare instances where online speech resulted in criminal prosecution.
Bushart was arrested after posting a meme that drew attention for its deemed threatening nature. The meme featured former President Donald Trump with the caption, “We have to get over it.” This quote was originally made by Trump in response to a school shooting at Perry High School in Iowa. By sharing the meme, Bushart added the caption, “This seems relevant today…” which raised alarms within his local community.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems pointed out that while most of Bushart's "hate memes" were considered lawful free speech, the post relating to the school shooting incited fear among residents, leading them to believe it was a threat against Perry County High School. Despite acknowledging that the meme referred to an incident in Iowa, Weems insisted that investigators believed Bushart was aware of the potential fear his post could evoke and aimed to instigate hysteria within the community.
Following the viral nature of the post, authorities took swift action, with Bushart being arrested after he refused to delete the meme. His bail was set at an astonishing $2 million, and he remained incarcerated for more than five weeks until the charge was ultimately dropped. Upon his release, reactions from both the public and media expressed concerns regarding freedom of speech and the potential for overreach by law enforcement in matters relating to social media expressions.
After his release on Wednesday, Bushart expressed relief, stating, “Very happy to be going home. I didn’t seek to be a media sensation, but here we are.” His case has since sparked discussions among free speech advocates about the implications of criminalizing online speech, especially when tied to politically charged topics.
As the incident unfolded, it became clear that the implications of Bushart's arrest extended beyond his personal situation, illuminating the broader issues of free expression, political discourse, and societal responses to online commentary. The case may serve as a landmark example in understanding the interface between digital communication and legal accountability.
