The husband of the late Mica Miller, pastor John-Paul Miller, faced reporters on Wednesday 26th Febrary as he arrived at a Myrtle Beach court, refusing to comment on a civil lawsuit accusing him of raping a 15-year-old girl.
The lawsuit, which also names his father, Reginald Miller, alleges that their ministry fostered a culture of “sexual abuse and predatory conduct” over the years.
Pastor John-Paul was in Magistrate Court seeking restraining orders against four protesters who have targeted him and his church since Mica’s suicide in April.
However, the judge denied his requests, citing an "obvious bias" in the testimonies from Miller’s supporters, many of whom were closely tied to him and Solid Rock Church.
The judge also noted that most witnesses couldn’t confirm seeing the women at protests.
According to Fox 8, a large group of churchgoers, including Miller’s father, attended the hearing in his support.
Miller testified that he fears for his safety and that some church members now carry mace.
Meanwhile, the attorney representing the protesters argued that Miller made the case a public issue by participating in national media interviews.
The “Justice for Mica” movement has staged demonstrations against Miller since Mica’s death, with abuse and harassment allegations surfacing in the months that followed.
Earlier this month, a judge also denied Miller’s separate request for a restraining order against activist Melissa Post after most of his cited incidents were dismissed in court.
Miller has not yet publicly addressed the rape allegations.