Charges Dropped Against Tennessee Man Held Over Trump Meme

Prosecutors filed a nolle prosequi and dropped charges Oct. 29 against 61-year-old Larry Bushart, who had been jailed since Sept. 21 on a $2 million bond after posting a Facebook meme quoting President Trump that some in Perry County interpreted as a threat to Perry County High School. Bushart was released after more than a month in custody. Investigative reporting and body‑camera footage raised questions about Sheriff Nick Weems’s initial statements that investigators believed Bushart intended to reference the local school, showing officers unsure about the basis for the visit. Bushart, a retired law‑enforcement officer charged with threats of mass violence on school property and related activities, had posted numerous political memes, and the disputed image was originally circulated by Everytown and appeared in a thread tied to a vigil for commentator Charlie Kirk. Prosecutors declined to pursue the case, and officials noted much of Bushart’s posting is protected political speech.