Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther was jailed for one week and fined $7,000 dollars for continuing to operate her business, Salon a La Mode, in defiance of the Texas governor's orders.
The Dallas Morning News reports: “Luther was taken into custody immediately after the hearing and booked into the Dallas County jail just after 4:30 p.m. Like other businesses deemed nonessential, Luther's Far North Dallas salon was forced to close March 22 after the county enacted its stay-at-home order. She reopened the salon April 24 despite that order, and tore up a cease-and-desist letter from County Judge Clay Jenkins at a demonstration the next day. The temporary restraining order was signed April 28 by state District Judge Eric Moyé, but Luther continued to operate the business.”
Luther was told by Moyé that she could avoid jail time if she apologized for her “selfish” behavior.
Luther refused, telling the judge, “I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I am selfish. Because feeding my kids is not selfish. If you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision, but I am not going to shut the salon. I have here 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 your decision, but I am not going to shut the salon.”
