South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller was arrested on Wednesday, November 6th on an assault charge following a recent FBI raid of his home.
Videos by Suggest
According to People, Miller was arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina after an alleged assault on a protestor outside of his church. At this time, it’s unclear what the protest was about. Police have stated that he “got into the victim’s (sic) face.” He then “began recording her before tapping the person’s cap and walking away.”
The victim apparently approached Miller saying, “Here kitty kitty,” as others began to taunt him as well. In a video that was recorded during the altercation, John-Paul can be seen stopping in front of the woman to hold up his phone.
The woman can then be heard shouting, “Don’t f*****g touch me!” According to the report, it’s not clear if Miller actually touched the woman.
John-Paul’s name has been floating around the news since April as controversy began following the death of his wife Mica Miller. Officials determined Mica’s death as a suicide after finding her body in a state park in North Carolina.
Speculation ensued from friends and other people following the case, People says. They’re claiming that there may have been some “foul play.” At the time, the two were separated.
Miller’s FBI Raid Considered A “Parallel Investigation”
Since then, eyes have been on John-Paul, but police have said that the FBI investigation of the pastor’s home was not correlated to Mica’s death. The FBI has stated that they were conducting a “parallel investigation”.
At the time, Damien McLean of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office spoke further about the case. He said, “There’s no evidence connecting him to her death. (The FBI is) investigating separate from her death. Her death has been ruled (a) suicide.”
Miller’s lawyer Russell Long also made a statement following his assault charge. Although a witness told the police that John-Paul “struck the victim twice”, Long says that he did not assault the woman.
He added, “Enough’s enough. The city of Myrtle Beach has failed this guy and his churchgoers. They’ve allowed these people to kill this church, and they’re allowing these people to stalk and harass John-Paul Miller. And arresting him just gives them more bait, right? It gives them more purpose. They’re not going to stop.”