LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A western Kentucky man who spent several days in jail for posting violent song lyrics to Facebook has settled a lawsuit against the county where he was jailed.
The federal lawsuit was brought against Muhlenberg County and the officer who arrested James Evans in 2014. The settlement announced Monday awarded Evans $60,000.
Evans posted song lyrics in 2014 from heavy metal band Exodus that included the words “student bodies lying dead in the halls,” prompting complaints to school officials. The American Civil Liberties Union took up Evans’ defense and the terroristic threatening charge was eventually dropped. The ACLU says in a release that Evans then sued the county and the officer.
Evans spent eight days in jail upon his arrest because he could not afford the $1,000 bond.