Pastor Tony Spell Arrested for Second-Degree Battery

CENTRAL, La. - A Baton Rouge-area pastor was arrested on Tuesday, June 23, after he allegedly attacked a young man who lives across from his church.

Mark Anthony "Tony" Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church along Hooper Road in Central, was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a charge of second-degree battery.

According to arrest records, the incident occurred around 11 a.m. on June 23 near the church. Spell allegedly crossed the four-lane highway and attacked the victim, who was standing in front of his home across the street.

What the Surveillance Video Shows

Surveillance footage from the victim's home security system shows the two exchanging blows before Spell allegedly threw the man to the ground and continued striking him while on top of him. The victim was transported to a hospital and treated for his injuries. Spell has since bonded out of jail.

The Sherwin Family and the Dismissed Lawsuit

The Sherwin family, who live across from the church, say the arrest is connected to the recent collapse of a years-long legal battle initiated by Spell. He sued the couple in 2023 after adding them to a lawsuit filed against former Governor John Bel Edwards, Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran, and East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux over COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

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The suit, which alleged the Sherwins helped authorities monitor Spell and his congregation via home security cameras, was dismissed in 2024 and thrown out a second time recently. "This is Pastor Spell lashing out, like he always does, when he doesn't get his way," the family said.

Tony Spell's Prior Arrests and History with Authorities

Tuesday's arrest is not Spell's first. In 2020, he received six misdemeanor summonses for holding church services during COVID restrictions and was arrested for allegedly attempting to strike a protester outside his church with a bus.