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A South Carolina circuit court judge has denied the latest bid by MorningStar Ministries to halt – or limit – civil litigation over a sweeping sexual abuse scandal involving its youth programs.
The Fort Mill, S.C.-based ministry is facing multiple lawsuits from individuals alleging they were sexually abused as minors while participating in MorningStar youth programs. Four of the five litigants allege abuse by Erickson Lee, a U.S. Marine and former police officer. Erickson is currently serving nine years in state prison after admitting to crimes committed while he acted as the volunteer director of Youth Special Forces – a MorningStar program which used military-style iconography and jargon in teaching “leadership” to tween and teen boys.
The fifth plaintiff, Jane Doe 5, allegedly suffered repeated assaults while attending a MorningStar private school – the Comenius School for Creative Leadership. When the student reported these assaults, she was blamed for failing to maintain her “purity,” according to the pleading.
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Attorneys for MorningStar filed motions in February asking the court to reconsider its previous decision to allow the cases filed on behalf of John Doe 1, John Doe 2 and John Doe 3 to move forward. They contend the religious organization cannot be held liable for failing to appropriately supervise and train a volunteer. In back-to-back rulings issued March 28 and March 31, S.C. circuit court judge Martha Rivers firmly denied those requests.
“After careful review and consideration, defendants’ motion to reconsider is denied,” Rivers wrote.
Rivers emphasized the limited nature of the court’s review at this early stage, adding she “would not be surprised if many issues arise again at a later stage in litigation.”
The original three suits filed in 2024 were followed by the two additional complaints in February of this year. All five lawsuits allege MorningStar leaders failed to take basic measures to protect vulnerable youth – and in doing so created an environment that enabled sexual abuse to flourish unchecked.
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RELATED | MORNINGSTAR HIT WITH TWO NEW LAWSUITS
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As previously reported, plaintiffs claimed MorningStar knowingly placed Lee – who had no relevant training – in a leadership role. In that position, he systemically groomed minors – supplying them with vapes, alcohol and pornography – before sexually abusing them on overnight trips and at the church’s Fort Mill campus, according to the complaints.
The lawsuits further claimed church leaders chose to quietly remove Lee from his position rather than alert law enforcement or parents to the allegations against him – which they were required to do by state and federal law. They also claimed another volunteer, Chase Portello, intimidated victims in an effort to keep them quiet. In addition to Erickson Lee and Portello, defendants in the lawsuits included MorningStar founder Rick Joyner, church leader David Yarnes, and the ministry’s former head of security Douglas Lee (Erickson Lee’s father).
In their original motion to dismiss, attorneys for MorningStar attempted to invoke immunity in the form of “ecclesiastical doctrine”—arguing the church could not be held legally accountable for decisions relating to religious matters. Judge Rivers rejected that claim in February, finding plaintiffs had “properly alleged each element required by South Carolina law for each of the causes of action included in their complaint.”
The recent orders reinforced Rivers’ stance – and cleared the way for discovery to begin in what plaintiffs’ attorneys have described as “complicated and serious” litigation.
MorningStar has not publicly commented on the court’s denial of its motion to reconsider.
As the case proceeds, more victims are expected to come forward. An estimated thirty women have previously accused the church of fostering a culture of silence and shame around abuse, with some reporting ritualistic “deliverance” ceremonies in lieu of support or accountability. The cases have sparked a larger movement with hundreds of former church members signing a petition demanding accountability, an independent investigation, and the removal of leaders who sought to protect the institution and not the victims.
For continued coverage of this developing story, follow FITSNews.
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THE ORDER…
(S.C. Sixteenth Judicial Circuit)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.
Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.
Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”
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