Tony Spell

Introduction

Tony Spell, the pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana, was arrested on June 23, 2026, and charged with second-degree battery after authorities said he attacked his 20-year-old neighbor in a confrontation near the church that was captured on video. Spell, nationally known since 2020 for refusing to stop holding in-person services during Louisiana’s early COVID-19 restrictions, spent several hours in jail before posting bond — then went straight back to his pulpit. The arrest re-ignited a years-long feud between Spell and the family living across from his church, and by September 2026 it had produced bond conditions, repeated court appearances and a courthouse packed with his supporters — but still no formal charge.

Background Information

Spell — whose full name is Mark Anthony “Tony” Spell — leads Life Tabernacle Church along Hooper Road in Central, in East Baton Rouge Parish. He became a national flashpoint in 2020 after refusing to stop holding in-person services at Life Tabernacle during the state’s early pandemic restrictions, drawing a house-arrest order and a wave of state and national media attention. That same year he received six misdemeanor summonses for holding services during the restrictions and was arrested for allegedly attempting to strike a protester outside his church with a bus.

His conflict with the Sherwin family, who live across from the church, predated the arrest. In 2023, Spell added the couple to a lawsuit filed against former Governor John Bel Edwards, Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran and East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux over the COVID-19 restrictions, alleging the family had helped authorities monitor him and his congregation through home security cameras. The suit was dismissed in 2024 and thrown out a second time shortly before the arrest. “This is Pastor Spell lashing out, like he always does, when he doesn’t get his way,” the family said.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

According to arrest records from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the attack allegedly happened around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, on Hooper Road near Life Tabernacle Church. The neighbor told investigators he shouted a profanity at Spell, who then started to walk across the road; the neighbor was reportedly standing in front of his home at the time. Spell is accused of beating the neighbor, who curled up on the ground as Spell allegedly continued hitting him.

Surveillance video obtained by WAFB’s I-Team appears to show the altercation, with punches thrown before both men fall to the ground. Another video, provided by the alleged victim’s father, appears to show Spell running across the street toward the young man moments before the fight began. Footage from the family’s home security system appeared to show the neighbor swinging first, with Spell then pinning him to the ground and striking him several times. The 20-year-old was transported to a hospital, and his father, Scott Sherwin, said his son required five stitches in his chin; Sherwin told the WAFB I-Team there has been a long-standing feud between his family and Spell.

Spell was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and bonded out after several hours in jail. Asked about the allegations after his release, he declined to discuss them. “I have no comment,” he said. “I’ll be in court September 15. The truth will come out in court,” he said, adding: “I’m headed to the pulpit right now. I have a red-hot sermon ready.”

Public Reaction and Consequences

In July 2026, a judge ordered Spell to stay at least 50 yards away from the neighbor’s home — aside from checking his own mailbox — and barred him from contacting the family. When Spell returned to court for a bond review hearing on September 15, dozens of Life Tabernacle congregants packed the courthouse, with Spell saying some had traveled from as far as San Antonio and Atlanta to stand with him. He framed the turnout as a matter of protecting the church community, saying men “have no greater duty and obligation to protect our most vulnerable” — a reference to the women and children of his congregation — and called Life Tabernacle a “sanctified, safe place.” He also renewed his accusation that the neighboring family had harassed people connected to his church over the years, an allegation Scott Sherwin has denied.

Current Status

More than three months after the arrest, the case has not moved toward a formal charge. At the September 15 hearing, Spell’s attorney, Jeff Wittenbrink, told the court it was simply a check-in on the case’s status and on Spell’s bond conditions; prosecutors have not yet billed the case, meaning no formal charge has been filed. The judge set another review for December 7 and indicated that if the case still hasn’t been charged by then, it will come off the court’s review docket entirely, freeing Spell from having to keep appearing for status checks. Spell remains free on bond; when he was arrested, WAFB reported that the case remained under investigation.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The arrest added a felony battery allegation to a public record already crowded with legal fights, and it has kept Spell’s name in Louisiana headlines well beyond his own congregation. His daily movements near his home and church are now constrained by bond conditions requiring him to keep at least 50 yards from the neighbor’s home and have no contact with the family, and he must keep appearing for status checks unless the case is resolved. He continues to lead Life Tabernacle, where he has made worshippers’ sense of safety his stated priority. The December 7 review will determine whether the second-degree battery case moves toward formal charges or comes off the court’s docket — and with it, whether the allegation follows him further or ends as an unbilled file.