Governor Abbott KO’s Dallas County Judge In Shop Owner Jailing… Maybe

Governor Greg Abbott fires back at the Dallas County Judge that ordered 7 days jail time for Shelley Luther, the Dallas salon owner who reopened her shop in defiance of state and local orders not to do so. The Texas Governor has amended his original order stating "eliminating confinement as a punishment for violating these orders," and making the new order retroactive.

Abbott, in a statement on his Official Facebook page, said:

Throwing Texans in jail whose biz's shut down through no fault of their own is wrong.

I am eliminating jail for violating an order, retroactive to April 2, superseding local orders.

Criminals shouldn’t be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place.

Sounds like, if the Governor's orders are followed, Ms Luther should be released immediately. No word as of yet on any reaction from the Dallas Judge or the jailed shop owner as of this posting. Stay tuned.

Official Governor Greg Abbott Press Release:

Governor Greg Abbott today modified his executive orders related to COVID-19 to eliminate confinement as a punishment for violating these orders. These modifications are being applied retroactively.

“Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen,” said Governor Abbott. “That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order. This order is retroactive to April 2nd, supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther. It may also ensure that other Texans like Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata who were arrested in Laredo, should not be subject to confinement. As some county judges advocate for releasing hardened criminals from jail to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is absurd to have these business owners take their place.”