Retired officer jailed over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement
A retired police officer, Larry Bushart, has won an $835,000 settlement after being jailed for 37 days over a Facebook post regarding Charlie Kirk. His arrest drew national attention, as it was a rare case of criminal prosecution related to online speech. Bushart stated that the settlement vindicated his First Amendment rights and emphasized the importance of civil discourse in a democracy.
- ▪Larry Bushart was jailed for over a month due to a Facebook post about Charlie Kirk's assassination.
- ▪He lost his job and missed significant family events while in jail.
- ▪The settlement was reached with Tennessee officials after Bushart filed a lawsuit against them.
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U.S. Retired police officer jailed for 37 days over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement May 20, 2026 / 11:57 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Tennessee officials will pay $835,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a man who was jailed for more than a month over a Facebook post he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.While many people across the U.S. lost their jobs or faced other consequences over social media comments about Kirk's death, Larry Bushart's case stood out as a rare instance in which such online speech led to criminal prosecution.
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