Charges were dropped on Wednesday against 61-year-old Larry Bushart of Lexington, Tennessee, who had spent more than a month in jail for posting a meme quoting US President Donald Trump.

Bushart was arrested on September 21 after authorities said his post was being interpreted as a threat of mass violence against Perry County High School. However, investigators later confirmed that the meme had no connection to the school and had been misunderstood by community members.

Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems confirmed to NewsChannel 5 that the charges were “nolled”, meaning dismissed, just before 2 pm on Wednesday. The decision came a day after the outlet aired an interview in which Weems admitted police knew the meme wasn’t directed at the school but acted out of caution due to public fear.

What Was The Meme?

The suspect, 61-year-old Larry Bushart Jr from Lexington, was taken into custody on September 22. He shared an image of US President Donald Trump with the quote, “We have to get over it,” a phrase Trump had said after a 2024 school shooting in Perry, Iowa. The meme included the words, “This seems relevant today.”

Members of the Facebook group thought Bushart was hinting at a possible school shooting in their own Perry County, which alarmed parents and teachers. Sheriff Nick Weems said Bushart appeared to deliberately make people believe he was referring to a local threat. “We believe Bushart was fully aware of the fear his post would cause and intentionally sought to create hysteria within the community,” Weems told The Tennessean.

Bushart, a former officer with the Huntingdon Police Department, was charged with making threats of mass violence on school property. The sheriff’s office stated that every school-related threat is taken seriously. “Creating mass hysteria in our community will not be tolerated,” Weems said.

How The Incident Unfolded

Politically, Bushart often disagreed with many of his neighbours. Online, he was known for criticizing President Donald Trump and his supporters. He frequently argued with election deniers and vaccine skeptics, sharing memes that mocked right-wing figures.

After the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, Bushart began posting several memes criticizing the reaction to Kirk’s death. He claimed that people were wrongly celebrating Kirk and warned of rising threats to free speech.

On the morning of the local vigil for Kirk in Linden, Bushart posted a series of provocative memes in a Facebook group called “What’s Happening in Perry County”. These included jokes about Kirk and former Trump aide Kash Patel. But it was the Trump meme referencing the Perry High School shooting that drew law enforcement attention and led to his arrest.

How Bushart Was Arrested

Sheriff Nick Weems, who had shared information about the vigil, noticed Bushart’s posts and contacted investigators. Officers first visited Bushart to question him, but he continued posting online afterward. Hours later, police returned with an arrest warrant.

Body camera footage reportedly shows Bushart cooperating with officers and joking that he had gone from “Facebook jail” to the real one. He was booked into the Perry County Jail around 2 a.m. on September 22. His bail was set at $2 million, requiring him to post at least $210,000 for release. His lawyer has asked the court to reduce the bail, saying Bushart is not a flight risk, but prosecutors have asked for a delay. His next hearing is scheduled for December 4.