Texan sentenced to 7 days of jail for violation of court order / contempt of court

[Scallywag]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ar/3087849001/

i absolutely empathize with this woman's needs to feed her family but her attitude sucks. She was disrespectful to the judge (who asked to admit she was being selfish in reopening the salon in violation of the lockdown) and she wouldn't.

I doubt Gov Abbott's orders to prevent "confinement" as a likely punishment for violating lockdown would free Shelley. Legal eagles may notice that she's been jailed for contempt of court, not violating lockdown! So good luck with that.. Who is going to feed those children now? What is wrong with people?

[disneysteve]

Far too many people in this country care only about themselves and see no reason why the rules and actual laws should apply to them.

[Scallywag]

The Texas Supreme Court has ordered her release but this is a contempt of court case, not a violation of lockdown case. I do understand her need to feed her children but putting herself, her clients and her kids in danger isn't the way to do it. If she's freed, people will all start taking law & public health policies in their own hands

[disneysteve]

If she's freed, people will all start taking law & public health policies in their own hands

People are already doing that. Every single person at any of those protests is violating a stay at home order. Every person walking around here without a mask is breaking the law. And we have top government officials similarly ignoring the rules and policies, not wearing a mask, disregarding CDC guidance, etc. That's the example that is being set for folks from the top so what do you expect?

[james.hendrickson]

People are already doing that. Every single person at any of those protests is violating a stay at home order. Every person walking around here without a mask is breaking the law. And we have top government officials similarly ignoring the rules and policies, not wearing a mask, disregarding CDC guidance, etc. That's the example that is being set for folks from the top so what do you expect?

Seriously a good point - if the president isn't masking up, or the state governor, why should Joe and Jane average?

[Scallywag]

I honestly feel the lockdosn wasn't planned well - parents feel a compulsion to feed kids. If arrangements had been to deliver meals to vulnerable elders, the disabled & families in need or at least ensure that local food banks or meal centers had been stocked up could this situation have been avoided?

[riverwed070707]

I honestly feel the lockdosn wasn't planned well - parents feel a compulsion to feed kids. If arrangements had been to deliver meals to vulnerable elders, the disabled & families in need or at least ensure that local food banks or meal centers had been stocked up could this situation have been avoided?

Could it though? Can you explain why a single mother is better off waiting in a food bank line with her children present than she is to cut some people's hair to be able to buy her own food at the grocery store? I understand why the lockdown is necessary, but suggesting someone go stand in a food bank line is the appropriate way to deal with not being able to afford food ignores that 1) there is risk of exposure in gathering at the food bank and 2) low income people rarely have access to transportation, and public transit is more prohibitive now than ever due to reduced routes and demand. There is no way to eliminate exposure. If you deliver meals to people, the people packing and delivering the meals can get and spread it. If you have a food bank, the workers and recipients are at risk. There just isn't a way this could have been "planned well" or executed perfectly.

[Scallywag]

Could it though? Can you explain why a single mother is better off waiting in a food bank line with her children present than she is to cut some people's hair to be able to buy her own food at the grocery store? I understand why the lockdown is necessary, but suggesting someone go stand in a food bank line is the appropriate way to deal with not being able to afford food ignores that 1) there is risk of exposure in gathering at the food bank and 2) low income people rarely have access to transportation, and public transit is more prohibitive now than ever due to reduced routes and demand. There is no way to eliminate exposure. If you deliver meals to people, the people packing and delivering the meals can get and spread it. If you have a food bank, the workers and recipients are at risk. There just isn't a way this could have been "planned well" or executed perfectly.

How are people buying at local grocery stores, then? Or how are programs like Meals on Wheels continuing to function? Are you suggesting that people are just dropping dead like flies these days by shopping at grocery stores or using Meals on Wheels? Same thing with food banks & services similar to Meals on Wheels, including for those who cannot afford public transport.

It is not better to reopen than use local low income resources to flatten the curve because we can't prevent exposure!

[disneysteve]

I honestly feel the lockdosn wasn't planned well - parents feel a compulsion to feed kids. If arrangements had been to deliver meals to vulnerable elders, the disabled & families in need or at least ensure that local food banks or meal centers had been stocked up could this situation have been avoided?

I'm not sure what you're saying here. Are you suggesting that her arrest could have been prevented by access to a food bank? Sorry if I'm misreading that.

[Scallywag]

I'm not sure what you're saying here. Are you suggesting that her arrest could have been prevented by access to a food bank? Sorry if I'm misreading that.

Her arrest could have been prevented IF she had apologized to the judge for violating his court order to shut down her salon again. She's in jail for CONTEMPT of court, not defying the lockdown.

[disneysteve]

Her arrest could have been prevented IF she had apologized to the judge for violating his court order to shut down her salon again. She's in jail for CONTEMPT of court, not defying the lockdown.

For sure. She brought this on herself 100%, which is true of most crimes really.

I wasn't following what you were saying about meal delivery and food banks and all of that. I didn't get what that had to do with her breaking the law and getting arrested.

[bjl584]

The lawsuits are piling up where I live.
The argument is that the lockdown itself is illegal since the governor isn't granted the power to shut down a business or more specifically determine essential versus non essential. A 14th Amendment Violation.
Also, it is an overreach of power since there is no appeals process in place.

Here's a link if you care to read:

https://www.wtae.com/article/washington-butler-greene-and-fayette-counties-team-up-in-lawsuit-against-state/32407595#

[Smallsteps]

They opened up salons today in Texas anyway so moot point. It seems IMO that Judge was just a bit overzealous in his demand for her to apologize he had already fined her.

It is not a law ...It was not passed by legislators and open for public input or debate. We went along for a time to flatten a curve now the overzealous officials seem to think we signed up for life.

The lawsuits just add to the debt most states are in, but it seems to take that to get any government to realize they overstepped.
I think mature people should be able to discuss and debate without resorting to hyperbole and name calling I see from those who want to be shut down forever. I find it ironic so many adults feel we are children and the government parents ...MUST be obeyed no questions asked.

In my state many places restaurants/ salons etc have opened up and many law enforcement now refuse to enforce the overstepping some governors have taken to. Perhaps they want to be cited or arrested so they can have their day in court ... I do not think it will go well for many of the states or cities.

Each day I hear of more businesses they ordered closed that simply make ZERO sense. Like a completely automated car wash where there is only an employee on site for rare items and seldom or never has contact with customers really but that self service situation was a Danger. Some in my state bureaucracy admit they shut things they did not understand about some businesses ... things like golf or recreational fishing because they don't do those things..... how tone deaf can they be?

Some states have had it worse then others with illness.................... but Lately some governors seem to have woken up and realized they had an issue in one area of the state.. but closed and lost business in EVERY place in the state.

If wearing masks work then why are businesses closed?
Oh, that's right we were told masks don't work just so public would not purchase N95 masks, then like magic, overnight............ bandanas, scarfs and other cloth type masks are going to SAVE the day.
EVERY time I go out I see masks hanging off faces not covering the nose and hands adjusting them a lot...............but if that makes anyone FEEL safer.
Places keep taking temperatures even though the "DEADLY" asymptomatic person will not have one. So if you weed out one person with symptoms... 5 others they let pass.

I also find it misleading when people all of a sudden seem to think they KNOW where anyone got exposed .... if a worker is out there and travels between a home and job it is just as likely they could be exposed at a gas station or any other place/ person they may stop and interact with ......... but all "news" articles blame the employer.

" A (insert business) worker caught the virus and died" ............... they seem to assume the person was infected at work with ZERO proof.

If people want to wait until life is safe ... that means never.

Even the WHO has admitted the Sweden model may have had similar results..... and I saw a report from Canada admitting that there have been many deaths of those waiting for treatments since we sat and waited for the huge crowds at hospitals that in MANY places NEVER appeared.
Perhaps that is why CBS faked crowds for a story about testing place in Michigan.

[disneysteve]

" A (insert business) worker caught the virus and died" ............... they seem to assume the person was infected at work with ZERO proof.

It depends on the situation. One Walmart in Massachussetts got shut down after 23 employees tested positive. At that point, everyone was tested and a total of 81 employees were found to be positive. It's not much of a stretch to assume that most of them caught it on the job. Or the one Tyson processing plant where 500 employees tested positive. It's a safe bet that it got spread around at the plant.

The big problem, as you mentioned, is the asymptomatic carrier. Just today, we learned that Pence's press secretary tested positive after previously learning that Trump's personal valet had also tested positive. The press secretary reportedly tested negative yesterday. So now you've got the VPOTUS and POTUS exposed, despite aggressive testing. The fact that he, POTUS, and other WH staffers also refuse to wear masks or observe social distancing just makes the situation even worse. If everyone in their immediate circle is being tested daily or close to it and at least 2 cases have already occurred this week alone (another Pence staffer had tested positive a few weeks ago), what do you think is going to happen to the case load as everything reopens and the general public, that is not being tested, starts interacting again?

[Scallywag]

They opened up salons today in Texas anyway so moot point. It seems IMO that Judge was just a bit overzealous in his demand for her to apologize he had already fined her.

It is not a law ...It was not passed by legislators and open for public input or debate. We went along for a time to flatten a curve now the overzealous officials seem to think we signed up for life.

The lawsuits just add to the debt most states are in, but it seems to take that to get any government to realize they overstepped.
I think mature people should be able to discuss and debate without resorting to hyperbole and name calling I see from those who want to be shut down forever. I find it ironic so many adults feel we are children and the government parents ...MUST be obeyed no questions asked.

In my state many places restaurants/ salons etc have opened up and many law enforcement now refuse to enforce the overstepping some governors have taken to. Perhaps they want to be cited or arrested so they can have their day in court ... I do not think it will go well for many of the states or cities.

Each day I hear of more businesses they ordered closed that simply make ZERO sense. Like a completely automated car wash where there is only an employee on site for rare items and seldom or never has contact with customers really but that self service situation was a Danger. Some in my state bureaucracy admit they shut things they did not understand about some businesses ... things like golf or recreational fishing because they don't do those things..... how tone deaf can they be?

Some states have had it worse then others with illness.................... but Lately some governors seem to have woken up and realized they had an issue in one area of the state.. but closed and lost business in EVERY place in the state.

If wearing masks work then why are businesses closed?
Oh, that's right we were told masks don't work just so public would not purchase N95 masks, then like magic, overnight............ bandanas, scarfs and other cloth type masks are going to SAVE the day.
EVERY time I go out I see masks hanging off faces not covering the nose and hands adjusting them a lot...............but if that makes anyone FEEL safer.
Places keep taking temperatures even though the "DEADLY" asymptomatic person will not have one. So if you weed out one person with symptoms... 5 others they let pass.

I also find it misleading when people all of a sudden seem to think they KNOW where anyone got exposed .... if a worker is out there and travels between a home and job it is just as likely they could be exposed at a gas station or any other place/ person they may stop and interact with ......... but all "news" articles blame the employer.

" A (insert business) worker caught the virus and died" ............... they seem to assume the person was infected at work with ZERO proof.

If people want to wait until life is safe ... that means never.

Even the WHO has admitted the Sweden model may have had similar results..... and I saw a report from Canada admitting that there have been many deaths of those waiting for treatments since we sat and waited for the huge crowds at hospitals that in MANY places NEVER appeared.
Perhaps that is why CBS faked crowds for a story about testing place in Michigan.

I get that you're angry but why? She appears to have had a bad attitude and the judge got racist hate mail and threats... how is that being an adult? She was fined, and asked to say she was sorry for being in contempt and she refused! How is that adult-like to disrespect a judge?

If I were the sole employee at a car wash, I'd be terrified of having to work during a shut down. Why? Because this is the perfect time for thieves and criminals - all wearing masks - to strike and police do not / cannot respond fast enough. In my area, we've had jewelry stores broken into, restaurants robbed and car wash & gas station attendants get mugged and no one has a clue because everyone's wearing gloves, hoodies and masks, so no forensic trail.

I do feel terrible for people who've lost jobs and are struggling to feed their families because that could have been us, up until we got on the Dave Ramsey plan a few years ago. Even now, I don't feel completely secure because we really need a larger stash of cash, but we'd have been ruined if we hadn't stopped spending like Congress until a few years ago.