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Pastor Faces Assault Charge After Dispute With Protester Over Social Distancing Pastor Faces Assault Charge After Dispute With Protester Over Social Distancing
(7 days later)
A pastor at a Louisiana megachurch who was previously cited for defying the state’s coronavirus stay-at-home orders is facing an aggravated assault charge after he backed up a bus toward a protester outside the church on Sunday, the authorities said on Monday.A pastor at a Louisiana megachurch who was previously cited for defying the state’s coronavirus stay-at-home orders is facing an aggravated assault charge after he backed up a bus toward a protester outside the church on Sunday, the authorities said on Monday.
The pastor, Tony Spell, of Life Tabernacle Church, did not hit the man, but the police in Central, La., near Baton Rouge, said that they obtained an arrest warrant for Pastor Spell, 42, after reviewing video footage of the episode and interviewing the protester and a witness. The bus came within five to seven feet of the man, the authorities said.The pastor, Tony Spell, of Life Tabernacle Church, did not hit the man, but the police in Central, La., near Baton Rouge, said that they obtained an arrest warrant for Pastor Spell, 42, after reviewing video footage of the episode and interviewing the protester and a witness. The bus came within five to seven feet of the man, the authorities said.
Pastor Spell turned himself in on Tuesday and was taken to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, where he was released later in the day on bail, according to the police. The assault charge carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison. He was also charged with improper backing of the bus and for two outstanding traffic ticket warrants, the authorities said.Pastor Spell turned himself in on Tuesday and was taken to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, where he was released later in the day on bail, according to the police. The assault charge carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison. He was also charged with improper backing of the bus and for two outstanding traffic ticket warrants, the authorities said.
“He was protesting the church staying open,” Darren Sibley, the assistant police chief of Central, said of the man confronted by Pastor Spell, whom he would not name.“He was protesting the church staying open,” Darren Sibley, the assistant police chief of Central, said of the man confronted by Pastor Spell, whom he would not name.
Pastor Spell said on Monday night that he had done nothing wrong. He added that he had retained the former judge Roy S. Moore, who lost his bid for the U.S. Senate in Alabama in 2017, as one of his lawyers.Pastor Spell said on Monday night that he had done nothing wrong. He added that he had retained the former judge Roy S. Moore, who lost his bid for the U.S. Senate in Alabama in 2017, as one of his lawyers.
“For the past 36 days, a protester has parked at my church entrance shouting obscenities, immoral crotch grabbing directed at my church women and children,” Pastor Spell wrote in a text message. “Our law enforcement have not responded to our complaints against this sinister individual.”“For the past 36 days, a protester has parked at my church entrance shouting obscenities, immoral crotch grabbing directed at my church women and children,” Pastor Spell wrote in a text message. “Our law enforcement have not responded to our complaints against this sinister individual.”
Upon his release on Tuesday, Pastor Spell was greeted by supporters who cheered for him outside the prison, according to footage taken by a local television station. Pastor Spell said he would continue to hold church services.Upon his release on Tuesday, Pastor Spell was greeted by supporters who cheered for him outside the prison, according to footage taken by a local television station. Pastor Spell said he would continue to hold church services.
“My rights to have church and to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ are endowed to me by my creator, not my district attorney, not my chief of police and not my governor, John Bel Edwards, not my president and not my Department of Justice,” Pastor Spell said. “I cannot give up those rights. God forbids me to give up those rights.”“My rights to have church and to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ are endowed to me by my creator, not my district attorney, not my chief of police and not my governor, John Bel Edwards, not my president and not my Department of Justice,” Pastor Spell said. “I cannot give up those rights. God forbids me to give up those rights.”
Pastor Spell has made headlines for defying Louisiana’s emergency order banning public gatherings and for directing his followers to give their stimulus checks from the federal government to evangelists, missionaries and music ministers.Pastor Spell has made headlines for defying Louisiana’s emergency order banning public gatherings and for directing his followers to give their stimulus checks from the federal government to evangelists, missionaries and music ministers.
On March 31, local police served Pastor Spell with a misdemeanor summons on six counts of violating the governor’s emergency orders — one for each time that they said he had held church services in defiance of the orders. Pastor Spell, who said his 80,000-square-foot church has 9,800 members, posted a video of that exchange on YouTube, in which he could be seen blessing the two officers who served him.On March 31, local police served Pastor Spell with a misdemeanor summons on six counts of violating the governor’s emergency orders — one for each time that they said he had held church services in defiance of the orders. Pastor Spell, who said his 80,000-square-foot church has 9,800 members, posted a video of that exchange on YouTube, in which he could be seen blessing the two officers who served him.
Pastor Spell said he would be exonerated because of the video showing the episode, which was shared on Twitter by the local news media. The pastor said he had confronted the protester after the man shouted obscenities at his wife and at young girls who were on the bus.Pastor Spell said he would be exonerated because of the video showing the episode, which was shared on Twitter by the local news media. The pastor said he had confronted the protester after the man shouted obscenities at his wife and at young girls who were on the bus.
“I backed my bus up to approach this individual and ask him to stop verbally assaulting my wife and children, and hundreds of other women who attend our church,” Pastor Spell said in a text message. “After I parked my bus, I said to myself this is a waste of time, rehearsing the scripture ‘cast not thy pearl before swine,’ I then pulled away from the protester and parked on my parking lot.”“I backed my bus up to approach this individual and ask him to stop verbally assaulting my wife and children, and hundreds of other women who attend our church,” Pastor Spell said in a text message. “After I parked my bus, I said to myself this is a waste of time, rehearsing the scripture ‘cast not thy pearl before swine,’ I then pulled away from the protester and parked on my parking lot.”
Updated July 16, 2020 Updated July 21, 2020
A parishioner at the evangelical church, who the police identified as Nathan Thomas, of Denham Springs, La., also faces an aggravated assault charge after he tried to swerve into the same protester several hours later in his own vehicle, Chief Sibley said.A parishioner at the evangelical church, who the police identified as Nathan Thomas, of Denham Springs, La., also faces an aggravated assault charge after he tried to swerve into the same protester several hours later in his own vehicle, Chief Sibley said.
Pastor Spell said that Mr. Thomas, who is in his 50s, would not be commenting about the charge.Pastor Spell said that Mr. Thomas, who is in his 50s, would not be commenting about the charge.
“He’s done nothing wrong, just as I’ve done nothing wrong,” Pastor Spell said in a phone interview, adding that both he and Mr. Thomas had been harassed and bullied. Efforts to reach Mr. Thomas on Monday night were unsuccessful.“He’s done nothing wrong, just as I’ve done nothing wrong,” Pastor Spell said in a phone interview, adding that both he and Mr. Thomas had been harassed and bullied. Efforts to reach Mr. Thomas on Monday night were unsuccessful.
Last Wednesday, a man who Pastor Spell said was an usher at his church died of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office. The man, Harold Orillion, was 78.Last Wednesday, a man who Pastor Spell said was an usher at his church died of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office. The man, Harold Orillion, was 78.
On Monday night, Pastor Spell disputed the circumstances of Mr. Orillion’s death and said that he had died of natural causes.On Monday night, Pastor Spell disputed the circumstances of Mr. Orillion’s death and said that he had died of natural causes.
“Coroners don’t do reports on people who die in hospitals,” Pastor Spell said.“Coroners don’t do reports on people who die in hospitals,” Pastor Spell said.