BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Tony Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, defended his actions after he was arrested on a battery charge, asserting that he was protecting his family.
According to the affidavit, Spell, 48, on Tuesday, walked across Hooper Road and allegedly beat the victim after the victim had screamed “F*** You” from across the street from the church. In a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Spell recalled details of the incident, claiming that the person threatened to rape and kill his wife and grandchildren.
“This has gone on for years now. 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 said. 
He claimed that the people who attend his church have been stalked and intimidated by the people across the street. “As a shepherd, I have not allowed the sheep to attack the wolves for what was said to them,” Spell said.
His attorney, Jeff Wittenbrink, said there was possibly a failure in law enforcement or a “gap” in the law regarding the ongoing problem he referred to as “domestic terrorism.” “They don’t like the church; they made that clear,” he said. 
Central Police Department Police Chief Roger Corcoran responded to Spell’s claims of making numerous complaints to authorities. 

“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. 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,” said Corcoran. 
“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. 
Spell first publicly addressed the arrest when he spoke to the congregation Tuesday night, telling them, “I laid hands on the sick. I don’t know how much recovery they’re going to have, but I laid hands on the sick.”
Speaking more of his time in jail, he said the inmates were kind, courteous and respectful. “The guards were busy watching a rerun of the altercation,” he said, adding that he hadn’t seen the footage at that time.

He was released on a $25,000 bond after being booked into the parish prison on a second-degree battery charge. 
Arrest documents stated that the victim sustained some injuries, including a possible broken orbital bone around his right eye. 
Tony Spell, a Central pastor, faces a second-degree battery charge. (EBRSO)