Texas Governor Greg Abbott (left) meets with President Donald Trump on May 7, 2020, in the White House Oval Office (Brendan Smialowski)

Houston (AFP) – The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of a hairdresser who had been jailed for violating the state’s coronavirus lockdown orders by keeping her business open.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott specifically mentioned Shelley Luther in amending his lockdown order Thursday morning “eliminating jail for violating an order,” after calling her week-long sentence excessive.

“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,” he said.

The amended rule, “if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther,” he said.

Luther, who owns Salon A La Mode in Dallas, was ordered on March 28 to comply with stay-at-home restrictions imposed by the city, county and state.

When she refused, a Dallas federal court on Tuesday sentenced her to seven days in jail.

Luther “continued the operation of the Salon for seven days after the entry of the Order and so continued up until the date of this hearing,” receiving several clients per day, court documents said.

She “expressed no contrition, remorse or regret,” said the judge, who also charged Luther a fine of $7,000 — $1,000 for every one of the days she kept her salon open.

During the trial, Luther — who also participated in anti-lockdown protests — told the judge she needed to feed her kids, local media reported.

US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed support for those defying lockdown orders, cited her concerns in an interview with Fox Business on Thursday.

“I was watching the salon owner. She looked so great, so professional, so good, and she was talking about, you know, her children. She has to feed her children,” he said.

The Dallas Morning News pictured Luther wearing a mask and hugging a child after she was freed Thursday.

Abbott on Thursday also mentioned Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata, two beauticians in the city of Laredo on the US-Mexico border who are being prosecuted for allegedly serving customers at home.

Abbott has already announced that hair salons, as well as nail salons, tanning booths, parks, beaches and public pools will be allowed to reopen from Friday, one week after he lifted restrictions on bars and restaurants.

The United States, where the coronavirus has killed more than 75,000 people, has begun to reopen. It is up to the governors of the 50 states to lift the containment measures at their own pace.

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.