Pastor Tony Spell Arrested After Baton Rouge Fight
Louisiana pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge was arrested Tuesday and charged with second-degree battery after a confrontation with a 20-year-old man who lives across the street from the church. According to reports, the man had been arguing with Spell while the pastor was in the front yard working on a church bus. The situation turned physical fast, which is a reminder that when tempers go off the rails, nobody wins, even if some people seem to think shouting is a substitute for self-control.
Spell Says He Was Defending His Family
After bonding out, Spell went straight back to his church and told congregants he had, in his words, “laid hands on the sick,” using scripture to frame the incident. He repeated claims that the neighbor threatened to rape and kill his wife and grandchildren, and church members also said the man had yelled insults and racial slurs at them. Spell described the episode as “domestic terrorism” from the pulpit, while police sources told WAFB the claims had not been fully investigated and that only one incident report involving the family and the neighbors had been received. In other words, there is the pastor’s version, the police file, and then the usual neighborhood drama that somehow always grows legs.
Video Shows The Quick Takedown
Video from the confrontation shows Spell approaching the young man and quickly taking him to the ground before repeatedly punching him and throwing his phone into the street. The man was taken to the hospital and received stitches on his chin. Whatever the backstory, the image of a church leader turning a street dispute into a fistfight is not exactly what most people picture when they hear “faith leader,” and it is certainly not a good look for a community already dealing with enough trouble.
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