Tennessee man jailed 37 days for a Trump meme wins $835,000
Larry Bushart, a Tennessee retiree, was awarded $835,000 after being jailed for 37 days over a Trump meme. The meme referenced a shooting response and was deemed a threat by local authorities, leading to his arrest. Bushart's case highlights ongoing concerns about free speech and online expression in the wake of recent events.
- ▪Larry Bushart was jailed for 37 days for sharing a meme related to a shooting response by Donald Trump.
- ▪He received $835,000 from Perry County and Sheriff Nick Weems to settle his federal civil rights case.
- ▪Bushart's arrest was based on a warrant that omitted key details about the meme's context.
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Tennessee man jailed 37 days for a Trump meme wins $835,000 Ellsworth Toohey 5:29 pm Wed May 20, 2026 FIRE plaintiff Larry Bushart and his wife Leanne. (Handout) Larry Bushart, a Tennessee retiree who spent his career in law enforcement, will receive $835,000 from Perry County and Sheriff Nick Weems to settle the federal civil rights case he filed last December, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression announced today. FIRE and Phillips & Phillips, PLLC represented Bushart.
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