Cameron Miranda
Shelley Luther is a Dallas hair salon owner who was jailed for breaking the law during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis. She was imprisoned for reopening her salon in defiance of state orders. Luther was released from jail after 48 hours, and her case has been described as a victory for Texans who want to go out and work. She has since become a political celebrity, running for office in a Republican special election.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Law broken | Contempt |
| Reason | Reopening her hair salon during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis |
| Sentence | Jail time |
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What You'll Learn
Shelley Luther was jailed for reopening her hair salon during the coronavirus crisis
Luther's actions divided Texans and reignited racial division in DFW. Supporters of the judge who jailed her gathered to praise his decision, with activist Rev. Peter Johnson saying: "If the salon owner was black and the judge was white, we both know she'd still be in jail."
Luther's case has been cited as an example of the criminalisation of workers during the pandemic. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton commented on Luther's release, saying he hopes her case means "nobody has to be in prison again for going out and trying to work".
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She was released after 48 hours
Shelley Luther was released after 48 hours in jail. She was imprisoned for defying state orders to close her hair salon during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis.
Luther was initially sentenced to seven days in jail for contempt of court. However, she was released after 48 hours following a decision by the Texas Supreme Court. Her case sparked debate, with some praising her for standing up for her family and employees, while others criticised her actions as selfish and dangerous.
The judge offered to rescind the jail time if Luther apologised and admitted she was selfish. However, she refused, stating that "feeding my kids is not selfish". Her refusal to express remorse or regret was noted by the judge in his decision to sentence her to jail time.
Luther's release was celebrated by her supporters, with some seeing her as a political celebrity. Her case also drew attention to the issue of racial injustice, with activist Rev. Peter Johnson pointing out that a black salon owner in the same situation would likely have faced a harsher punishment.
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She was jailed for contempt
Shelley Luther was jailed for contempt after she defied state orders to close her hair salon during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis. Luther spent about 48 hours in a cell by herself before being released on May 7, 2020.
The judge offered to rescind the jail time if Luther apologised, admitted she was selfish, and promised not to reopen until the new target date of May 8. Luther refused, saying: "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."
In his judgment, Moyé wrote that "the defiance of the court's order was open, flagrant and intentional" and that Luther "expressed no contrition, remorse or regret".
Luther's actions divided Texans and reignited racial division in DFW. Some supporters of state District Judge Eric Moyé gathered in front of the George Allen Courthouse to praise him for throwing her in jail for contempt. Activist Rev. Peter Johnson said: "If the salon owner was black and the judge was white, we both know she'd still be in jail."
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She refused to apologise or admit she was selfish
Shelley Luther, a Dallas hair salon owner, was jailed for breaking the law by reopening her salon during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis. She was offered the chance to be released from jail if she apologised, admitted she was selfish and promised not to reopen until Abbott's new target date of May 8. However, she refused to apologise, saying:
> 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.
Luther was released from jail on May 7, 2020, and has since announced her run for office at a pro-law enforcement gathering. She told the crowd:
> If you want someone that doesn’t have to tell you they’ll fight, if you want someone that doesn’t have to tell you they’ll stand up and go to jail for you? I’ll do it again and again, because I will fight to keep our Texas values.
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She was offered a deal to be released if she apologised and promised not to reopen
Shelley Luther, a Dallas hair salon owner, was jailed for breaking the law by reopening her salon during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis. She was offered a deal to be released if she apologised and promised not to reopen until Abbott's new target date of May 8. However, she refused, saying: "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." She was eventually released after 48 hours in jail.
Luther's actions divided Texans and reignited racial division in DFW. Some saw her as a hero for standing up for her families, while others criticised her as a villain. She has since become a political celebrity and is running for office, stating that she will "fight to keep our Texas values".
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Frequently asked questions
Shelley Luther broke the 4th Emergency Regulations under Section 54.016 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Shelley Luther was jailed for two weeks for refusing to close her salon, which was deemed to be endangering the health of others.
Luther's appeal to the Texas Supreme Court was successful, and she was released from jail.
Yes, Luther received significant support from the Republican Party and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, who also appealed to Moyé for her release.
