Additional Coverage:
A Louisiana pastor faces battery charges following a violent confrontation with his neighbor’s son outside his church in Baton Rouge. Tony Spell, 48, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church, was arrested after allegedly assaulting the 20-year-old during a dispute that reportedly began with the neighbor making threatening remarks toward Spell’s family.
According to Spell, the neighbor shouted threats across the street, saying, “Tony, I’m going to rape your wife, I’m going to rape all your grandchildren, and the next time you go out of town, I’m going to kill them.” Spell, who describes himself as a husband, father, and pastor, said he felt compelled to act to protect his family.
Surveillance footage obtained by local media shows Spell crossing a busy four-lane road and engaging in a physical altercation on the lawn, where he allegedly struck the young man multiple times, wrestled him to the ground, and delivered numerous punches and kicks. The victim required five stitches to his chin following the attack.
Spell was charged with second-degree battery and faces up to eight years in prison. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 15 and has stated he is confident the truth will be revealed during the proceedings.
The incident is reportedly the latest in a longstanding feud between Spell and his neighbor, Scott Sherwin, whose son was involved in the altercation. Past tensions include a 2020 lawsuit filed by Spell concerning surveillance cameras allegedly installed by Sherwin, as well as previous legal issues during the COVID-19 pandemic when Spell was cited for holding in-person services in violation of state restrictions.
In a separate 2020 incident, Spell was accused of attempting to back a church bus toward a protester outside his church, though he was never formally charged.
Following the recent attack, Spell addressed his congregation, describing the incident in terms of “domestic terrorism” and referencing a Bible passage from Mark 16:18. He remarked, “In my name, they shall lay hands on the sick.
And they shall recover. So today, I fulfilled the scripture.
I laid hands on the sick. I don’t know how much recovery they’re going to have, but I laid hands on the sick.”
The case continues to unfold as the community awaits further developments.