Tennessee man jailed 37 days over Facebook meme mocking Charlie Kirk's death wins $850K settlement

Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old retired Tennessee police officer, won an $850,000 settlement after being jailed for 37 days for refusing to remove a Facebook meme mocking Charlie Kirk's assassination. The arrest was based on an absurd interpretation that the meme posed a threat to a local school, violating his First Amendment rights. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) represented Bushart in the case, which highlights broader concerns about censorship of online speech.