Charlie Kirk prided himself on being a free speech absolutist.
But in the months since Kirk was shot and killed, many of his most ardent supporters have lashed out at and demanded consequences for those who dared to criticize the slain podcast host and activist.
Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old retired police officer from Tennessee, even suffered legal ramifications, spending 37 days behind bars due to a Facebook post about Kirk.
Now, Bushart has received an $835,000 settlement after filing a lawsuit against the county officials who locked him up.
The case quickly became national news — and not just because of the unexpectedly high payout.
Bushart was arrested in September 2025 after posting Facebook memes referencing Kirk’s death, including one that reused a quote from President Donald Trump following a 2024 Iowa school shooting that read: “We have to get over it.”
Authorities claimed one of the posts alarmed local residents, who feared it referenced a nearby school in Tennessee with a similar name.
According to local media reports, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems later acknowledged he understood the meme referred to an Iowa school — not a local Tennessee one — but officials still moved forward with Bushart’s arrest after claiming the posts created fear in the community.
Bushart was charged with threatening mass violence and initially hit with a staggering $2 million bond.
He ultimately spent more than a month in jail before prosecutors dropped the felony charge in October.
During that time, Bushart says he lost his post-retirement job and missed major family moments, including his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter.
Those claims later became part of the federal lawsuit he filed against Perry County, the sheriff, and the investigator who secured the arrest warrant.
“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated,” Bushart said in a statement after news of the settlement broke.
“The people’s freedom to participate in civil discourse is crucial to a healthy democracy. I am looking forward to moving on and spending time with my family.”
His legal team framed the case as a major constitutional issue.
“It’s in times of turmoil and heightened tensions that our national commitment to free speech is tested the most,” attorney Cary Davis said, arguing that public officials crossed a dangerous line by treating protected speech like a criminal threat.
While many people faced backlash or even job losses over comments related to Kirk’s death, Bushart’s situation stood out because it escalated into an actual criminal prosecution.
Now, after more than a month in jail and a lengthy legal battle, he is receiving an $835,000 reminder that social media posts.
And across social today, Bushart is being celebrated as a true free speech warrior.