Church pastor charged with battery, says male he's accused of beating up threatened to rape, kill his family

A Louisiana church pastor charged with battery this week said the male he is accused of beating up threatened to rape and kill his family.

Tony Spell, 48 — pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central — on Tuesday walked across Hooper Road and allegedly beat up a person who screamed “F**k you," KLFY-TV reported, citing an affidavit.

'They don’t like the church; they made that clear.'

The station said that during a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Spell indicated that the person he is accused of beating up said a lot more than that.

Spell said he was working on a church bus when he heard the neighbor's son yelling at him, WBRZ-TV reported: "He said, 'Tony, I'm gonna rape your wife, I'm gonna rape all of your grandchildren,' and he said, 'The next time you go out of town, I'm gonna kill them — and what the F are you going to do about it?'"

Spell added that he's the "natural protector" of his family and church, and it was his job to take action, WBRZ reported.

“You’re not going to rape my wife. I can’t allow you to do that. You’re not going to rape my grandchildren and me live with the cloud over my head that if I leave, my children and wife are unprotected. I have a duty and an obligation to do what I did,” Spell said, according to KLFY.

WBRZ said sheriff's deputies arrested Spell after the altercation with the 20-year-old.

“This has gone on for years now," Spell also said at the news conference, according to KLFY. "Behind me are several witnesses who can attest to what was said; they have video, they have made numerous complaints to the police and sheriff’s department."

Spell also said that the people across the street have stalked and intimidated church attendees, KLFY noted: “As a shepherd, I have not allowed the sheep to attack the wolves for what was said to them."

WBRZ said it spoke with those neighbors — the Sherwins — who countered that Spell's claims are false and stem from the recent conclusion of a legal battle that began after Spell was arrested for disregarding coronavirus mandates and holding church services while stay-at-home orders were in effect.

"This pastor is a bully who gets mad when he does not get his way," the Sherwins said, according to WBRZ, which added that the family's video cameras captured Tuesday's altercation.

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KLFY said arrest documents indicate that the beatdown victim sustained some injuries, including a possible broken orbital bone around his right eye.

Spell's attorney, Jeff Wittenbrink, told KLFY there possibly was a law enforcement failure or a “gap” in the law regarding the ongoing problem with family across the street from the church, which he called “domestic terrorism.”

“They don’t like the church; they made that clear,” Wittenbrink also said, according to KLFY.

Central Police Department Chief Roger Corcoran responded to criticisms against law enforcement, KLFY added.

“Allegations that the Central Police Department has failed to investigate complaints lodged by Pastor or Mrs. Spell are untrue. Our records reflect only five incidents involving Pastor or Mrs. Spell in the past four years, and only one of those involved a complaint against their neighbors," Corcoran said, according to KLFY. "All calls to our department are recorded, and all persons who visit our department to make in-person complaints are captured on video. If dates and times of complaints were allegedly made are provided to me, I will order an audit of our systems to investigate any claim of a failure to investigate."

KLFY said Spell was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a second-degree battery charge. WBRZ said Spell bonded out Tuesday evening; the bond was $25,000, KLFY reported.

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