Tennessee Man Freed After Month in Jail for Facebook Memes

Fri Oct 31 2025 00:08:28 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Larry Bushart spent over a month in jail after posting controversial memes about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Authorities have now dropped the felony charge against him, raising concerns about free speech.

Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old former law officer, was jailed for over 30 days due to a Facebook meme referencing the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. His case sparked debate on free speech, as many interpreted the meme as a threat against a school. Although Sheriff Nick Weems stated that most of Bushart's memes were lawful, the post alarmed many in the community. Following the decision to drop the felony charge, Bushart expressed relief at being released. This incident has raised serious questions about the boundaries of free expression online.

Authorities in Tennessee have dropped a felony charge against Larry Bushart, who spent more than a month in jail over a Facebook post about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination. Bushart, a 61-year-old former law enforcement officer, had posted several memes about Kirk’s killing, leading to his arrest on a charge of threatening mass violence at a school.

This arrest alarmed advocates for free speech, prompting claims that Bushart was targeted due to his political beliefs. Sheriff Nick Weems admitted that while most of Bushart's memes were lawful, the school shooting post unsettled the community. It was believed that Bushart was insinuating a threat against a local school, even though the meme referenced an incident in Iowa.

After deciding to dismiss the charges against Bushart, the local district attorney did not provide a reason for the decision. Following his release, Bushart stated, “Very happy to be going home,” expressing surprise at the media attention his case has received.