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Free Speech

"Tennessee Man Jailed 37 Days for Trump Meme Wins $835,000 Settlement"

Eugene Volokh | 5.22.2026 2:28 PM

From the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Wednesday:

After spending 37 days in jail for nothing more than posting a meme, retired Tennessee law enforcement officer Larry Bushart has won a substantial settlement from the county and sheriff behind his arrest.

Represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and Phillips & Phillips, PLLC, Larry Bushart filed a federal civil rights lawsuit last December against Sheriff Nick Weems, Investigator Jason Morrow, and Perry County, Tennessee, for violating his constitutional rights in retaliation for his protected speech.

Today, the parties announced in........

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