Pastor accused of beating up a 20-year-old vows to fight the case in court: 'I've got a red hot sermon ready'

By LAURA PARNABY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 22:16, 24 June 2026 | Updated: 22:25, 24 June 2026 A Louisiana pastor accused of fighting with a 20-year-old has said the 'truth will come out in court' after his arrest on a charge of second-degree battery.  Tony Spell, 48, who leads Life Tabernacle Church on the outskirts of Baton Rouge, was detained for allegedly attacking a man just after 11am on Tuesday.  The pastor appeared in court later that day and told reporters outside that he would give his side of the story during trial - before adding that he had 'a red hot sermon ready' for his congregants too.  Spell previously hit the headlines for fiercely opposing coronavirus rules during the pandemic. He was arrested in April 2020 and accused of trying to reverse the church bus over a man who staged a protest against his church gatherings.  However, hundreds of congregants leapt to his defense, inundating police phone lines with complaints about the 2020 arrest.  It appears that the bus screeched to a halt before reaching the protester, and the assault charges against Spell were dropped.  The pastor's latest arrest affidavit, obtained by the Daily Mail, describes how a fight escalated outside his church on Hooper Street.  The 20-year-old was left with a broken bone below his eye socket, according to cops. He also needed stitches below his chin, the police report said.  Pastor Tony Spell, 48, stands accused of fighting a 20-year-old man outside his church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Tuesday. He was arrested on a charge of second-degree battery Surveillance footage appeared to show two people sparring before one collapsed on the grass Spell said the 'truth will come out in court' after he was charged with second-degree battery Relatives of the alleged victim told local news outlets that he had a long-running feud with Spell, though further details were not given. Shocking video footage has emerged which appears to show a man who resembles Spell attacking another individual. The younger victim told police he screamed 'f*** you!' at the pastor before the confrontation.  The alleged victim told police shortly afterwards that he had 'curled up on the ground' as the pastor 'continued to hit him'.  Baton Rouge Sheriff deputies were called to the scene, and they allegedly found Spell in the church. He 'refused to speak without his attorney present', according to the affidavit.  Police searched the victim's cell phone and say they found a video showing the victim had shouted at the pastor asking 'what are you going to do?' moments before the fight.  'The victim was observed with swelling above and under his right eye, blood from his nose, a scratch on his forehead, a scratch on his left eyebrow, and a cut under his chin,' the affidavit says.  'Medics said he may have a broken orbital bone around his right eye and needed stitches under his chin'. The video appears to show a man who resembles Spell aggressively kicking another individual The 20-year-old was left with a broken bone below his eye, according to cops. Pictured: Spell  Spell, 48, leads Life Tabernacle Church on the outskirts of Baton Rouge Spell attended court with a splash of blood on his face after posting a $25,000 bond to secure his release from custody. 'I have no comment,' Spell told reporters outside the court room. 'I'll be in court September 15. The truth will come out in court.' 'I'm headed to the pulpit right now,' he added. 'I've got a red-hot sermon ready.' The Daily Mail has contacted the pastor via his church for further comment.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.