Pastor Tony Spell's legal battle has taken another dramatic turn.
Just days after the controversial Louisiana pastor defended beating a 20-year-old neighbor, claiming repeated threats against his family left him with no choice, police are now publicly disputing one of the central pillars of his defense.
The Central Police Department has pushed back against Spell's accusations that officers repeatedly ignored complaints about harassment from neighbors, calling those allegations "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," Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said in a public statement.
Corcoran also challenged Spell's account by noting that every emergency call and in-person complaint is documented. He added that if Spell can provide dates and times of any alleged uninvestigated complaints, the department is willing to conduct a full audit.
The public disagreement comes after Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of second-degree battery following a violent confrontation that was captured on video.
The footage, which quickly spread online, appears to show the 48-year-old pastor repeatedly punching a 20-year-old man before delivering at least one kick after the altercation began.
Spell was later released from jail on a $25,000 bond, but he made it clear during a message to his congregation that he has no regrets.
According to the pastor, the confrontation came after years of alleged harassment from neighbors. Spell claimed the young man had threatened to rape his wife, rape his grandchildren, kill members of his family, and regularly shouted racial slurs and vulgar insults at members of his multicultural congregation.
"I can't allow a man to rape my wife. I can't allow a man to rape my grandchildren. I will not allow a man to murder my children when I'm gone," Spell told supporters, insisting he acted in self-defense after years of provocation.
His attorney, Jeffrey Wittenbrink, echoed those claims, arguing that law enforcement repeatedly failed to protect the pastor and his church despite numerous complaints.
But police say the evidence doesn't support that narrative.
Chief Corcoran also clarified that his department was not responsible for the investigation that resulted in Spell's arrest. Instead, he explained that the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office handled the case, while Central Police stands ready to assist if requested.
Meanwhile, new details have emerged from the alleged victim's family.
The young man has been identified by local media as Luke Sherwin. His father later shared photographs showing significant facial injuries, including a deep chin wound that reportedly required five stitches.
Investigators have also pointed to video allegedly capturing Spell threatening the young man moments before the fight, reportedly telling him, "I'm going to break your neck."
The latest developments add another explosive chapter to the saga surrounding Spell, who became a national figure during the COVID-19 pandemic after repeatedly defying government restrictions by keeping his church open despite public health orders.
Now, with criminal charges pending and law enforcement publicly rejecting key parts of his defense, the outspoken pastor once again finds himself at the center of a controversy extending far beyond the walls of his church.
