Earlier this week, Clemson University settled the wrongful termination lawsuit brought by former Clemson professor Joshua Bregy related to Prof. Bregy’s comments on social media about the Charlie Kirk assassination. [Read more: Stipulation of Dismissal of Clemson Lawsuit (Bregy)]
I wrote last month about the lawsuit filed by Bregy (as represented by the S.C. ACLU). [Read More: Clemson University Professor Sues Over Termination for Charlie Kirk Comments] Other lawsuits on behalf of public employees in South Carolina are proceeding as well. [Read More: First Free Speech Lawsuit Filed by SC Employee over Charlie Kirk Comments]
Since that time, Bregy filed a motion (a written request to the judge) for a preliminary injunction (an early order in a case), which asked the Court to order Clemson to reinstate Bregy while the lawsuit continued. Clemson’s response to that motion was due on January 5, 2026. No hearing had been set on the motion.
But on Monday, January 5, the same day Clemson’s written response was due, Bregy and Clemson filed what’s called a Stipulation of Dismissal, which dismisses the lawsuit with prejudice. A subsequent order by the Court confirms that the parties have notified her that the case has settled. However, no terms of settlement were included, which is normal. Those dismissal documents don’t include the specifics.
However, I have not seen any sort of statement issued about how Clemson University settled Bregy’s claims. I would assume that since Clemson is a public institution, then the settlement amount would be publicly available (or at least subject to a Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] request). I’ll update this blog once the details are more publicly known.
I’m not surprised that the case settled, given how much bad press Clemson received for capitulating to the social media demands for the professor’s termination–especially since the professor’s comments were most likely protected under the U.S. and S.C. constitutions. I assume that the University didn’t want to damage its funding from the state, which would be more costly than defending (and ultimately settling) a lawsuit. A simple economic decision, if not entirely an ethical one.
It seems that the fervor surrounding Kirk’s assassination has settled down, as most fervors do. But the fallout will continue. I’ll keep you updated!
