A Louisiana pastor held a service at his church after he was fitted for an ankle bracelet and put on house arrest for breaking state orders banning large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church was placed on house arrest last week after telling police he would not maintain social distancing orders by suspending services. Living just 50 yards from his church, he held a service there Sunday and told his congregation that it’s a “dirty rotten shame when you’re hiding in America” while showing off his ankle monitor, the Advocate reported.
“The judge has found him in contempt of Court for refusing to promise,” his attorney said. “Obviously, we believe this is an illegal order in violation of the Constitution, and will litigate the issue.”
Spell was previously issued a summons in March for breaking state orders banning large gatherings after he held a service with about 500 congregants. He was then arrested Tuesday and charged with assault after backing up a church bus toward a protester.
“God gave you an immune system to kill the virus,” the pastor said Sunday. “I’m not going to bind the virus.”
