‘It’s an illegal arrest’: Lawyer speaks after man spent weeks in jail over Facebook post
LEXINGTON, Tenn. — Charges are dropped against a former officer arrested in connection to what some interpreted as a threat against a school. After spending more than a month in jail, he now seeks legal action.
61-year-old Larry Bushart, a Lexington resident and former police officer, was arrested on September 21 due to an image he posted in a Facebook community group.
The post raised controversy in Perry County, Tennessee, despite it referring to a mass shooting that occurred in Perry, Iowa.
The post featured a quote from President Trump that he gave a day after a 2024 mass shooting at Perry High School.
“So, when he posted this meme, they made a leap and tried to say that it was connected to Perry County, Tennessee,” Bushart’s lawyer, Joshua Phillips stated. “So, they arrested him over this meme, which is of course freedom of speech. There was no threat there, which is required by statute.”
Bushart was charged for threatening mass violence and detained for over a month in Perry County jail, unable to make the $2 million dollar bond issued to him.
Police body cam footage of Bushart’s arrest.
“He doesn’t have a criminal history. He has plenty of people. He’s always lived in West Tennessee, so in my opinion, the bond that was set was excessive,” Phillips said.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems sat down with Channel 5 in Nashville, where he said though some people in the community worried about the post, their investigators knew it was a reference to Perry, Iowa.
“When Sheriff Weems got on the news, and he made that statement ‘we knew he did not make a threat towards Perry County.’ That is what is required by statute, and if you don’t have that threat and you know he didn’t make a threat, then it’s an illegal arrest,” Phillips said.
In a court hearing on October 29, the charges against Bushart were dropped and his record will be expunged.
However, we’re told that the incident has led to the loss of his job.
Police body cam footage of Bushart’s arrest.
Bushart’s lawyer says you don’t have to agree with someone in order for it to be free speech. He also said they will proceed with all avenues of litigation available to them.
Stay with us on air and online as we continue to follow this developing story.
SEE ALSO: Former police officer’s Facebook comments lead to his arrest
For more local news, click here.
