Texan who opened hair salon in defiance sentenced to 7 days in jail, $7k fine

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Salon À la Mode owner Shelley Luther was sentenced to seven days in jail for criminal and civil contempt and a $7,000 fine today for defying Governor Greg Abbott’s stay-at-home rules.

Dallas Judge Eric Moye found Luther continued to operate her hair salon in violation of the governor’s order and in violation of a restraining order from the court.

She and her business are also each being fined $500 for every day… seven in all so far… that it was open in violation of the governor’s order. Judge Moye said the salon would continue to rack up a $500 fine for every day it remains open between now and Friday – when Abbott has said all salons can open.

Last week, Luther received a cease-and-desist letter from Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins ordering her to close the salon — and she publicly ripped it up. In defying the order, Luther has gained many supporters, among them the Open Texas movement. Several of her supporters were at court, and weren’t visibly displeased by her arrest.

Moye told Luther he would consider not giving her jail time, if she admitted that she was wrong, that she was selfish, and that she should apologize to the elected officials whose orders she violated.

“I have much respect for this court and laws. I have never been in this position before and it’s not someplace that I want to be,” Luther responded. “But I have to disagree with you sir, when you say that I’m selfish because feeding my kids — is not selfish. I have hair stylists that are going hungry because they’d rather feed their kids. So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with you decision but I am not going to shut the salon.”

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