Embattled South Carolina Pastor Withdraws Countersuit

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A civil lawsuit accusing a well-known Myrtle Beach, South Carolina pastor – and his father – is moving forward without the defendant’s counterclaim accusing the plaintiff of slander and defamation.

The lawsuit, filed in March 2025 by a woman identified as Jane Doe 2, alleged she was sexually assaulted, physically abused and psychologically tormented while a student at Cathedral Hall Academy – a now-defunct school formerly associated with Cathedral Baptist Church. These institutions were operated by pastor Reginald Wayne Miller. His now-notorious son, pastor John-Paul Miller, was a teacher at the facility.

Per the graphic complaint, the alleged abuse began in 1999 when Jane Doe 2 was only fourteen years old. At the age of sixteen, the young girl was allegedly told she was a “servant of Satan” – and that she would be “raped by demons” if she did not repent. In another instance, the complaint alleged water was poured over her head and she was beaten with a Bible for possessing a Harry Potter book.

When the lawsuit was filed, John Paul Miller responded with an aggressive counterclaim accusing the plaintiff of slander and defamation. In response, attorneys for the woman filed a motion to dismiss the counterclaim – and a counterclaim of their own citing abuse of process.

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With a hearing set for this week, John-Paul Miller and his alleged victim came to an agreement: he would withdraw his counterclaim without prejudice. That means it is possible Miller could re-file the counterclaim in the future.

The agreement was initially memorialized in a stipulation of dismissal dated July 28, 2025 that was signed and submitted by Miller’s attorney Russell B. Long. However, the wording of that filing made it appear as though the original case had been dismissed by mutual agreement. That’s largely due to the wording of the plaintiff’s portion of the agreement (.pdf) which stipulated she had agreed to withdraw her complaint.

That was not accurate.

A corrected stipulation of dismissal (.pdf) was filed with the court on July 30, 2025 clarifying the actual terms.

Plaintiff’s attorney Randy Hood called it a “scrivener’s error.” He said his client did not withdraw her complaint – John-Paul Miller withdrew his counterclaim. The original litigation remains very much active.

As previously reported, several parties to this case have already been found in default for failure to respond to the original summons and complaint. They are: Reginald Wayne Miller and several affiliated church entities – including All Nations Cathedral Church, Cathedral Baptist Church of the Grand Strand, and Cathedral Hall Academy. The court entered default judgments against them in May. A hearing will be scheduled at some point in the future to determine the amount of damages owed to Jane Doe 2 by these parties.

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A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AND THREE CIVIL SUITS

The lawsuit filed by Jane Doe 2 is one of three ongoing civil cases involving John-Paul Miller – founding pastor of Solid Rock Church – who also remains under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The federal inquiry began following the suspicious death of his estranged wife, Mica Francis Miller, on April 27, 2024 in Lumber River State Park, Robeson County, North Carolina.

The death of the beautiful worship singer and aspiring missionary drew international attention – initially in response to the bizarre death announcement John-Paul Miller delivered from his pulpit the following morning. Then Mica’s family questioned the circumstances surrounding her death and pointed to allegations of coercive control, spiritual abuse stalking and harassment. The claims were supported by police reports, court records, and a damning affidavit from John-Paul Miller’s ex-wife and the mother of four of his five children, Alison WIlliams.

John-Paul Miller has filed more than 30 civil suits and countless restraining orders against those who have – or participated in protests outside his church demanding “Justice for Mica.”

John-Paul Miller is scheduled to appear in court later this month in case filed against him back in February by Jane Doe 1. Meanwhile, Sam Rickman – a former Solid Rock congregation member – also remains active.

The civil suit filed by Rickman’s attorney, Regina Ward, claims the pastor of Solid Rock violated his privacy by using details of his personal testimony in a sermon that was published online. Miller allegedly threatened to make Rickman repay funds he earned building websites and interfered with his child’s education at Faith First Academy – the primary school formerly run by Solid Rock. Perhaps the most troubling allegation contained in the filing has to do with a change to the Dare2Care Missions website that was ordered by John-Paul Miller three days before Mica Francis Miller’s passing. Rickman was told to place the words “Dedicated to Mica Miller” as large as possible on the site which days later figured prominently in Mica’s obituary as the designated place to send gifts in her honor. 

Rickman’s case is set for a jury trial on August 18, 2025.

Count on FITSNews to continue tracking pertinent developments in all of these cases.

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THE FILINGS…

(S.C. Fifteenth 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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