The Intercept and Nashville’s CBS affiliate, NewsChannel 5, secured bodycam footage from the Lexington cop that undermined Weems’ narrative. The footage clearly confirmed the cop didn’t perceive why the Perry County sheriff had taken situation with Bushart’s Fb put up.
“So, I’m simply going to be utterly sincere with you,” the cop informed Bushart. “I’ve actually no thought what they’re speaking about. He had simply referred to as me and stated there was some regarding posts that have been made….”
Bushart clarified that it was possible his Fb posts, laughing on the notion that somebody had referred to as the cops to report his meme. The Lexington officer informed Bushart that he wasn’t positive “precisely what” Fb put up “they’re referring to you,” however “they stated that one thing was insinuating violence.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Bushart responded, confirming that “I’m not going to take it down.”
The cop, declining to even look on the Fb put up, informed Bushart, “I don’t care. This ain’t bought nothing to do with me.” However the officer’s indifference didn’t cease Lexington police from taking Bushart into custody, reserving him, and sending him to Weems’ county, the place Bushart was charged “underneath a state legislation handed in July 2024 that makes it a Class E felony to make threats towards colleges,” The Tennessean reported.
“Simply to make clear, that is what they charged you with,” a Perry County jail officer informed Bushart—which was recorded on footage reviewed by The Intercept—“Threatening Mass Violence at a Faculty.”
“At a faculty?” Bushart requested.
“I ain’t bought a clue,” the officer responded, laughing. “I simply gotta do what I’ve to do.”
“I’ve been in Fb jail, however now I’m actually in it,” Bushart stated, becoming a member of him in laughing.
Cops Knew the Meme Wasn’t a Risk
Lexington police informed The Intercept that Weems had lied when he informed native information shops that the forces had “coordinated” to supply Bushart an opportunity to delete the put up previous to his arrest. Confronted with the bodycam footage, Weems denied mendacity, claiming that his investigator’s report should have been inaccurate, NewsChannel 5 reported.
Weems later admitted to NewsChannel 5 that “investigators knew that the meme was not about Perry County Excessive Faculty” and sought Bushart’s arrest anyway, supposedly hoping to quell “the fears of individuals locally who misinterpreted it.” That’s as shut as Weems involves seemingly admitting that his intention was to censor the put up.