Pastor Tony Spell Violates House Arrest Orders to hold a Church Service

Louisianna Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church, held a second church service on Sunday, defiying public health orders while on house arrest after being charged with assult.

What We Know:

  • This is the second time Pastor Tony Spell has held a church service despite public health orders to stop mass gatherings.
  • In the livestreamed church service that was posted to Facebook, viewers could see the crowd errupt into cheers as Pastor Spell arrived with his ankle monitor on.
  • A lone protester had been demonstrating infront of the church since Easter Sunday when he noticed hundreds of church goers were still attending service despite the ban on mass gatherings. Pastor Spell reversed a church bus in the direction of the lone protester.
  • Spell turned himself into Central Police Department in Baton Rouge and was charged with aggravated assault and improper backing. He was jailed for refusing to follow the social distancing order but was released on a $5,000 bond Tuesday.
  • Saturday, Pastor Spell was placed on house arrest after refusing to promise District Court Judge Fred Crifasi that he would stay at home and stop holding in person serivces.
  • It’s unknow if he was taken into custody after breaking the social distancing order again.

Pastor Spells lawyer, Jeff Witterbink, revealed eairlier this month that he had been infected by the coronavirus.