Louisiana pastor who was under scrutiny for defying the state's stay-at-home order has been charged again for assaulting a protester. The pastor from a megachurch was charged for the assault after he backed a bus towards a protester on Sunday, April 21.
Reverend Tony Spell, 42, of Life Tabernacle Church, is wanted by the police since on Monday, April 20. Reports said that the pastor is wanted for backing the bus in the direction of a protester, Trey Bennett. The video footage obtained by the police showed the bus stopped a few metres away from the man.
A formal charge will be placed against Spell on Tuesday, April 21. The pastor is also said to be booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, Darren Sibley. He might be charged with a maximum of six months for the new charges. The man was protesting in front of the church since Easter Sunday. The man was protesting against the church which is open during the pandemic.
Tom Spell said the protester was being aggressive during the protest
According to Spell, the man was being aggressive during the protests. He told New York Times that the man was protesting for 36 days and "shouting obscenities, immoral crotch-grabbing directed at the church women and children."
Pastor Spell also said that law enforcement had not responded to the church's complaints. The pastor was previously summoned by the court for defying the Louisiana stay-at-home orders. Reports also say that the man was asking his followers to donate their stimulus check to evangelists, missionaries and music ministers. He was charged with six counts of violating the governor's emergency orders including having a public gathering.
The video showing the Pastor's actions against the protester has since been released by the local media and other outlets. The pastor believes that he will be exonerated after the video is viewed. But, several hours later a parishioner Nathan Thomas, of Denham Springs, La, was also seen doing the same act on the protester. Last week a man who was an usher at Spell's church died because of the coronavirus.
