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 challenge with Bushart’s Fb submit.
“So, I’m simply going to be fully trustworthy with you,” the cop instructed Bushart. “I’ve actually no concept what they’re speaking about. He had simply referred to as me and mentioned there was some regarding posts that had been made….”
Bushart clarified that it was seemingly his Fb posts, laughing on the notion that somebody had referred to as the cops to report his meme. The Lexington officer instructed Bushart that he wasn’t certain “precisely what” Fb submit “they’re referring to you,” however “they mentioned 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 submit, instructed 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 “beneath a state regulation handed in July 2024 that makes it a Class E felony to make threats towards faculties,” The Tennessean reported.
“Simply to make clear, that is what they charged you with,” a Perry County jail officer instructed Bushart—which was recorded on footage reviewed by The Intercept—“Threatening Mass Violence at a College.”
“At a college?” 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 mentioned, becoming a member of him in laughing.
Cops Knew the Meme Wasn’t a Risk
Lexington police instructed The Intercept that Weems had lied when he instructed native information shops that the forces had “coordinated” to supply Bushart an opportunity to delete the submit previous to his arrest. Confronted with the bodycam footage, Weems denied mendacity, claiming that his investigator’s report will need to have been inaccurate, NewsChannel 5 reported.
Weems later admitted to NewsChannel 5 that “investigators knew that the meme was not about Perry County Excessive College” and sought Bushart’s arrest anyway, supposedly hoping to quell “the fears of individuals in the neighborhood who misinterpreted it.” That’s as shut as Weems involves seemingly admitting that his intention was to censor the submit.
