Texas salon owner jailed for defying governor’s order freed

DALLAS — A Texas salon owner who was jailed for defying Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s public health orders walked out free to cheering supporters on Thursday, shortly after the governor weakened his mandate following an outcry by conservatives who are escalating calls to lift coronavirus restrictions.

Shelley Luther, owner of a Salon A La Mode in Dallas, wore a mask while leaving jail less than 48 hours after a judge ordered her locked up for a week for flouting public health orders meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Luther, who refused to apologize or promise to keep her business closed even after a Dallas judge said doing so might keep her out of jail, said she was overwhelmed as she walked toward a crowd chanting her name. In April, Luther tore up a cease-and-desist letter in front of TV cameras at an “Open Texas” rally in the Dallas suburbs.

“I just want to thank all of you who I just barely met, and now you’re all my friends,” Luther said after leaving jail. “This would have been nothing without you.”

Her release came hours after Abbott rushed to her defense by removing jail as a punishment for defying virus safeguards. The swift relaxing of his own rules reflects the increasing pressure Abbott is under to more quickly reboot the Texas economy, even though he has already allowed restaurants and retailers to start letting customers back inside — a step many other governors have been reluctant to take.

Abbott made the announcement in a statement just before meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.