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- cross-posted to:
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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 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. The 61-year-old retired police officer spent 37 days behind bars before authorities dropped the felony charge against him in October.
During his time in jail, Bushart lost his postretirement job and missed his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter, according to a federal lawsuit Bushart filed in December against Perry County, its sheriff and the investigator who obtained the arrest warrant.
“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated,” Bushart said in a statement announcing the settlement Wednesday. “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.”
Perry County Mayor John Carroll did not immediately respond to a Wednesday message left with his office seeking an interview.
Bushart was arrested in September after he refused to take down Facebook memes that joked about Kirk’s killing, which had prompted an outpouring of grief among conservatives, including in Perry County, which is near Bushart’s home and which held a candlelight vigil.
Not enough. Wheres the public apology, where are the rolling heads? They got the settlement pass.
Apology? Lol, my dude. You’re talking about conservatives, American conservatives.
They wouldn’t apologize even if they were being flayed and burned repeatedly for all eternity in Hell.
Right now, as we speak, Charlie Kirk, in between screams, is probably still trying to debate why DEI is actually just white replacement.
Cuz assholes never apologize, never change their minds, and ultimately Charlie Kirk was cured of his fascism the only way fascism is ever cured.
I have no love for this retired pig either. ACAB and all that shit. But hey, anything that encourages pissing on Charlie Kirk’s grave, I’ll fucking take it.
Not true. They will apologize (insincerely) if they think it will benefit them in some way.
That’s the problem with all these public settlements. Something bad enough to pay out nearly a million dollars happened, but somehow no one is at fault for it.