Retired Cop Wins $835,000 Settlement After Jail Over Trump Meme

Bushart, a retired police officer, posted a meme that accurately quoted Trump saying “we have to get over it” after a school shooting in Iowa. He shared it on a Facebook thread promoting a vigil for Charlie Kirk, a right‑wing influencer who had been assassinated. The meme was neither created nor altered by Bushart. Sheriff Nick Weems of Perry County, Tennessee, interpreted the reference to Perry High School in Iowa as a threat to his local Perry County High School and obtained a warrant for Bushart’s arrest. Bushart spent 37 days in jail because he could not afford the $2 million bond, missing the birth of his grandchild and losing a post‑retirement job.

The lawsuit filed by Bushart against the county and sheriff concluded with an $835,000 settlement, confirmed by his legal team at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Bushart said, “I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated.” FIRE senior attorney Adam Steinbaugh added, “No one should be hauled off to jail in the dark of night over a harmless meme just because the authorities disagree with its message.” The settlement will help secure a comfortable retirement for Bushart and his wife, though it does not compensate for the personal losses he endured, including missed family moments and lost income.

The case highlights how vague interpretations of online speech can lead to criminal charges and pretrial detention. It underscores the tension between law enforcement’s duty to prevent threats and the protection of satirical or political expression under the First Amendment. Similar incidents across the country have raised concerns about a chilling effect on meme‑based political commentary. Observers may see this settlement as a signal to other agencies to review their social‑media monitoring practices and threshold for issuing warrants based on ambiguous content.