Texas officials defend jailed salon owner

DALLAS — Texas’ Republican governor, Greg Abbott, and Attorney General Ken Paxton came to the defense Wednesday of a Dallas hair salon owner who was jailed for keeping her business open despite the governor’s restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Shelley Luther was booked into the Dallas County jail Tuesday following a video hearing during which she refused to apologize for repeatedly flouting the order, leading the judge to find her in contempt of court and sentence her to a week behind bars.

Luther was cited last month for keeping her salon open despite directives that kept nonessential businesses closed, but she continued to defy the order, and tore up a cease and desist letter in front of TV cameras.

Dallas County Judge Eric Moye said at the hearing that he would consider levying a fine instead of jail time if Luther would apologize and not reopen until she was allowed to do so, but Luther refused.

Paxton sent a letter to the judge Wednesday asking him to release Luther from jail. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz also expressed support for her. “I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19 would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her family’s table,” Paxton said.

Abbott called the punishment “excessive.”

“Compliance with executive orders during this pandemic is important to ensure public safety; however, surely there are less restrictive means to achieving that goal than jailing a Texas mother,” Abbott said in a statement.

Moye’s office hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

The governor defending someone violating his own executive order reflects the increasing pressure he faces to reboot the state at a much faster pace.