6) JP Miller Accused Of Assault & Abuse + What His Ex-Wife Said

my investigative journalism, it makes for a different, but pretty amazing, new kind

of travel show. Wherever it leads, is Luna Shark's brand new podcast, and it's nothing like the travel content that you've heard before. We go deeper, we talk to locals, reporters, and people who actually live where you want to visit, not just the ones who want your tourist dollars. We cover the food and landmarks, sure, but we also ask the harder questions. What is the real history here? The often sad and traumatic history. What new challenge

“is this place facing, and how can you show up as a visitor who actually makes things better?”

My co-host David Moses and I, along with a team of journalists, are hitting destinations around the world, to expose the truth, give voice to victims throughout history, and get the story straight, with new destinations and episodes every other week. Wherever it leads, from Luna Shark, find it wherever you listen to your podcast or visit wherever it leads, pod.com.

There are no witnesses, no fingerprints, and no confession, to the 1992 deaths of Tommy Griffin and his sister, Connie Brannam, in East Tennessee. There are, however, four alleged and uninvestigated alternate suspects, six alibi witnesses, a disgraced medical examiner, a nearly impossible timeline, a bad search warrant, and a man named Gary Sutton sitting on death row. I'm Beth Braydon,

“a writer and investigative journalist, and I'm going to tell you why I believe the death”

penalty does more harm than good in my new podcast, Time of Death. In February 1992, 28-year-old Gary Sutton, his uncle James Dellinger, and Gary's best friend, Tommy Griffin, went out drinking. The night ended with Tommy laying dead on the riverbank. Tommy's sister, Connie Brannam, went looking for her missing brother the following day,

and was never seen alive again. Gary and James were convicted of murdering Tommy and Connie

and sent to death row where Dellinger died of natural causes in 2023 and Gary Sutton awaits his fate. Follow my investigation to explore this capital case and others, as the clock ticks down towards Gary Sutton's December execution. Search for time of death wherever you like to get your podcasts.

“This is coerced, the devotion and death of Mike of Francis Miller. My name is Mani Matney,”

journalist Liz Farrell Beth Braydon and I have been reporting on Mike a story for more than two years now for true sunlight podcast. Coerced is a lunar shark production made possible by producers Kate Thomas, Grace Hills, and David Moses. We weren't at all surprised to find that Mike's estranged husband, JP Miller's past, included allegations of violence and abuse. In 1998, JP was arrested and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for using

his vehicle at quote a high rate of speed to run over a woman twice. He pleaded guilty and was basically sentenced to probation for that very serious felony charge. But that light sentence

wasn't good enough for JP. In 2021, JP's powerful buddies and high places got him pardoned

for that charge just so that he could buy a gun. Liz Farrell and Beth Braydon got the recordings for that hearing and they revealed JP as a man who believed that he could talk his way out of anything and they revealed a system that supported him. Let's dive in. We received the audio recordings of JP's pardon hearing with the South Carolina Department of Prevention, parole, and pardon services. I just want you guys to hear for yourself how easy this was for him. First off,

his attorney Casey Brown from Winslow Law gives a one minute summary of why JP deserves to be pardoned. I can begin my client born in 1999, seeking a pardon for his assault and battery of high-nic rate nature. He was the incident date, the lawsuit is February 11, 1998, and kind of play guilty in June of 1999. He received four-year sentence suspended to three-year probation. Probation was completed without incident and it's been 20 years since then. By client, as plea turns live around,

he's got a family, wife kids, he started a ministry and so we are seeking a pardon for this

the state. So I'll turn it over to my client to explain more about his life and changes since then

“last 20 years. And then, JP has asked why he feels like he deserves a pardon.”

Well, first of all, when it happened over 20 years ago, incident was, I was driving a work truck through a weight zone after a hurricane, and the person that brought the charge or whatever, said that the weight is tough, I guess not the mover or something. And when I went to court, I was young and I didn't have a lawyer and didn't know anything. And lady that was in the courthouse just told me to plead guilty. And so I went into the guilty and the person who was bringing the charges

didn't even show up because they had three or four warns after their arrest. And I never even met

the person or saw the person ever in my entire life. And I don't even know that I had this charge until a few years ago, while we have a bunch of attendants and policemen in our congregation.

“And I'm sure your attorney will pay you. We don't retry cases here. We just can't do anything”

about that. We just haven't facts of the case. What we're trying to look at now is how we change. Why don't you feel I can deserve a warrant? Some of the things you've been doing since all this happened. JP obviously wasn't following directions, but let's talk about his bizarre version of how things went down in comparison to what the victim said happened and what he played a guilty too. There were no hurricanes in February 1998. There was however flooding in Murdoch.

According to the warrant for JP's arrest and to a civil lawsuit filed by his victim, Jennifer Garland, shortly after, people were out and about that day in the bridge Creek neighborhood. Putting down sand bags to alleviate the flooding. According to the warrant, people told JP to slow down, but he continued to speed through the neighborhood. He hit Jennifer and she lost her balance and then stood up and as he drove off, she ended up on the hood of his truck

for a quarter mile before he slammed on the brakes and she fell off. According to the lawsuit, at around 345 on the afternoon of February 8th, 1998, Jennifer was assisting her family and friends with sandbagging their homes. JP was allegedly at the scene driving a different truck from the one he ended up hitting Jennifer with. While driving a nut truck on the closed road, and after being told to leave by people at the scene, JP returned in a silver S10 pick-up,

with black tape over the license plate to conceal his identity, again, this is according to the filing. Quote, upon returning in the silver S10 defendant again began to speed to harass the people attempting to save their homes. Jennifer was on the road and told JP to slow down according to the lawsuit. He reacted by accelerating and drove into her and then drove off with her on the hood, again, according to the lawsuit. Then he left the scene, according to the lawsuit. In his response to

that lawsuit, JP denied the allegations and up to the ante. In his filing he alleges that he was harassed at the scene that Jennifer jumped on the hood of his truck and attempted to damage his truck, and that she refused to get off the truck. He said any injury Jennifer had from that is her own fault. But then, the next year, he pleaded guilty as charged in criminal court. It's ridiculous that JP would claim that he didn't even know he had these charges when there are repeated instances

of him using his redemption from his past, in his sermons. And it's ridiculous that he would try to paint his victim as a criminal. I mean, he's a pastor, someone who is supposed to care about people, forgive people and ask for forgiveness for himself. Not only does he try to manipulate the board into believing that these charges were so unfair and meaningless that he had simply forgotten about them. And not only does he try to paint the victim as a bad person with warrants

out for her arrest. And not only does he show zero remorse for this past, he wants the board to know

“that he's connected in the law enforcement community, that he is such an important person and has”

them on his side. You can't work he mentioned that he had police attendance in his congregation,

right? It's odd, no? So finally, JP follows directions and tells the board why he thinks he deserves

this pardon. Okay, I have a wife and five children, my older three, our college graduates.

when really he has a child from a teenager relationship with a different last name from him.

“Four kids from a marriage that he ruined the legile with his sex addiction and a wife,”

he was allegedly cheating on at the time. Can we talk about how many bad men get bonus points just for stating that there are husband and a father as if that carries something? Can we talk about how many men who are also husband and fathers have brutally murdered their own family members? So being a husband and a father actually means nothing. Also, this isn't his kids fault, but he absolutely did not have three children who were college graduates at the time of this hearing.

That is a lie. I've started the church and has over 500 people on each week. We have a

I started a homeless ministry that specifically takes bets that are homeless off the streets, gets them jobs with people at our congregation and get them a place to live, get them transportation once they've completed our courses. I started a Christian private school that is the most affordable school in all of mortal beings, so the any Christian family are the most put their child in a private school can do so. Like I said, I didn't even know

this charge was on my record until recently and you know, I just I would love to have the

“part in just because I think it's the right thing for me and it's the right thing to do in general.”

Here's the rest. How has it, how has it going to help you? Well, you look at the do. I guess I'm just looking for a little bit of forgiveness and I think that it would, you know, with the we tend to send the placement of our congregation, just you know, it just adds to my I guess the things that I've accomplished in the past 20 something years just feels weird having a a charge on your record like that, especially one of those how it took place was just

a. And I think that because it's been 20 years since the completion of this probation, we're looking to restore civil liberties, especially for a leader of a charge person who has started educational programs and almost met programs. They've got restoring civil liberties civil liberties for a man like this. It is important as an American and as a South Congress. Absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate the clarity there. And I'm not going to ask you back

you in the back of the community because your old life looks like you're headed back giving back your community through your ministry, sir. Is there anything, Mr. Miller, that you haven't been able to tell us that you want to make sure this board knows today? I'm not sure I guess that sums it up. He says sums it up. Thank you for your time, Mo. Well, we appreciate you appearing today. Anything in closing was the final.

“You're just that it's been 20 years again and my clients, the change in his life is”

it was brought on, not by the state, it's by his own self doing. And I think it's night and day from the 90s to now of what he's done, what he's accomplished, not from self and his family, but also for the community as a whole in the state of South China. And I think that that warrants the restoration of civil liberties. He knows that the charge won't be removed from his record, but it's the forgiveness based on the life that he's lived, the exemplary life he's lived,

and the goals and the wars that he saw it for, not only himself, his family and the rest of South don't. If JP had not gotten this part in, would it have changed his behavior over the last few years? Obviously, we can't know the answer to that, but we can say that this part in that he definitely did not deserve in our opinion, likely sent a very affirmative message to him that he was this person he wanted people to believe he was. A person who's present was so honorable that he didn't

deserve to have to continue paying these consequences, consequences by the way that he accepted in lieu of going to trial and going to prison anymore. Again, it confirms a core belief JP seems to have about himself, which is that if he wants something, he is entitled to get it. And people

always seem to support him in his endeavors, no matter what. It is something that has come across

loud and clear as we have continued to go through its divorce filings, and it's something that a

and now JP Miller all seem to share. A history of getting out of whatever they get into,

in a system, just letting them do it, time and time again, and we'll be right back.

“That's what we're talking about, and we're talking about a whole lot about JP's ex-wife”

that Netflix left out. Remember, Justice for Micah is a movement, not a moment. In the full story matters. So follow true sunlight wherever you're listening right now and check out episode 163, what Netflix left out of the Micah Francis Miller story. Stay tuned, stay pesky, and stay in the sunlight. Yenomi, I dig until I find the truth, and it turns out that same

instinct that drives my investigative journalism, it makes for a different but pretty amazing,

new kind of travel show, wherever it leads is Luna Shark's brand new podcast, and it's nothing like the travel content that you've heard before. We go deeper, we talk to locals, reporters, and people who actually live where you want to visit, not just the ones who want your tourist dollars. We cover the food and landmarks, sure, but we also ask the harder questions. What is the real history here? The often sad and traumatic history. What new challenge is this place

“facing, and how can you show up as a visitor who actually makes things better?”

Micah hosts David Moses and I, along with a team of journalists, are hitting destinations around the world, to expose the truth, give voice to victims throughout history, and get the story straight, with new destinations and episodes every other week. Wherever it leads from Luna Shark, find it wherever you listen to your podcast or visit wherever it leads, pod.com.

Now, let's talk about JP's divorce from his first wife. Last week, we shared the most recent

filing in this case with you, an emergency motion in which JP's first wife Allison sought full

“custody of their two youngest children. With her motion, Allison included an affidavit that further”

illustrates Micah's fears leading up to her death. She said that things started to get really bad with JP and has married to Micah, in fall of 2021. In fact, she links the worsening of JP's behavior and the sudden death of Chris Skinner, a motivational speaker, who was married to a woman that Allison identified as a paramor of JP's. Chris Skinner was paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this, he was a surfer, and ostensibly, adept around water. In September 2021, he was found

unresponsive in his neighbor, I pool. He drowned to death. Allison said that it was around this time, and around the time that JP was trying to get a pardon so that he could get a gun that she began to witness increasingly concerning behavior from JP, which eventually led to Micah, seeking her counsel about what to do. Here is a voicemail from Micah that Allison included as evidence with her motion.

To help you, you know what, if you forget this and stuff, then keep your heart right through all the risks. I don't want to lose myself at this, and I don't want to pursue anything out of anger, and just sort of think like that, just want to be free of peace and keep us all right. So, if you just text me in the evening, then that would be good help. So, you know, I greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Bye.

lined up with her own experience, enough that she knew Micah was telling the truth.

“So, what was Allison's experience with JP? Right now, we can only go by the story that the”

divorce filings tell. Allison and JP separated in June 2015 when JP's affair with Micah became known. It is around this time that Micah separated from her husband. When Allison, who was 35 at the time, filed for divorce, she did not cite JP's affairs as grounds for the divorce. In an affidavit, she noted that she intentionally did, and we'll talk about that in a minute. Now again, in an interesting coincidence, Allison was using the very same law firm

that Micah hired to represent her and her divorce from JP. Allison's attorney has since left

and gone to another firm. In August 2015, she and JP had come up with an agreement for their four children, in which JP would have had joint legal and physical custody of them.

“But JP's schedule with the children was articulated. And like we mentioned last week,”

JP was not allowed to have custody of his daughter overnight. Something Allison maintains was done because of JP's. It mission that he had molested teenage girls at the church. At the time, JP agreed to pay $1200 a month in child support and $1100 in Alamani.

He agreed to pay this Alamani for up to 12 years. The agreement allowed him to stop paying

if Allison, who did not work at the time, were to remarry or to live with a love interest for more than 90 days. JP also agreed to give her ownership of the house with the understanding that she would sell it after the kids were gone and split the equity with him. Nearly all of Allison's Alamani would go toward paying the mortgage. She was allowed to keep her

“Honda Odyssey and was expected to cover the cost. Just a few months after coming to the”

disagreement, the couple had to amend it because JP was now claiming that his income had dropped significantly. A trick that he apparently learned from his father, and don't worry, we will open up that canowirms on a later episode. According to the affidivit that Allison would later file, this was due to self-inflicted injuries, which resulted in him being temporarily confined to a wheelchair. According to a financial declaration JP filed an October 2015,

he had no permanent address at that time, and was now making only $3,800 a month at the church. He attended the October 2015 hearing without an attorney. Allison agreed to lower his child support payments to $900 a month. A transcript from this hearing was included in their divorce file. We want to share it with you because we think it is pretty telling, in paints of picture, of the chaos in this man's life. The judge began by asking Allison and JP boilerplate questions

about their agreement, but partly threw something happen and it's not clear what. Here's David reading the transcript. The court. Okay, Mr. Miller. Do you need a minute, sir? JP. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm good. The judge continued to ask questions, affirming that they had both agreed to the terms of the agreement. But when the judge asked if they both believed their agreement to be in the best interest of the children, JP appears to

have delayed his answer. When the judge pressed him, he apologized and answered affirmatively. So, it seems like something was going on with JP. Some sort of behavior that caused the judge to stop proceedings twice. At the end of the questioning, the judge asked JP where he was working. Here is David reading the transcript. JP, I'm the pastor of a church in Murdoch, solid rock ministries. The court, okay. I see you're in a wheelchair. You apparently have some

bandages on your right foot, JP. I fell out of a tree about 10 days ago. Yeah. The court. Out of a tree? JP. Yes, sir. The court. Do you have any broken bones? JP. Yes, sir. Five in my foot and two in my wrist and my knees messed up. The court. What are your prospects for recovery? JP. I'm hoping about two months. I'll be able to walk by Christmas again.

If you don't mind my asking, JP, I have to be honest with you, I guess. Is that right? In hopes for reconciliation? The court. Okay. That's okay. I don't need to hear that.

“Court transcripts are great, but they don't always convey the vibe in the room. But I think we all”

get what was going through the judges mind in that exact moment. He was like, and never mind.

I can tell this will be some hot nonsense and I'm not interested. So, why was JP in a tree? Was he doing some like, 19, 80s romance thing and hopeful that there be some sort of reconciliation if he got up in a tree? Was he trying to fly like Superman? It is very unclear. Later in the hearing, the judge confirmed that JP was representing himself and asked if he had been given time to hire one. JP says yes and tells the judge that he couldn't afford to hire an attorney,

but that he was okay. The judge continues to press him and JP tells him, "I'm fine. I can represent myself." At that point, Allison's attorney interjected to tell the judge that JP had consulted with several lawyers prior to this date and had reviewed the agreement with more than two attorneys. A year after being separated from JP, Allison filed for divorce. Remember, in South Carolina,

“you have to live apart from your spouse for a year before you can get a no-fault divorce.”

Keep in mind. During this separation period, sources say that JP was refusing to let Allison go, even though the marriage and did due to his affair with Micah. For a period of time, he allegedly loved bombed Allison with grand gestures trying to win her back, just like he allegedly did with Micah in the year leading up to her death. On September 14, 2016, a final order of divorce was filed. That is the story that the 2015 filings tell. But what Allison submitted to the court

merely a decade later shows what she carried the entire time. Here's a clip from Trusonlight podcast episode 54. Back to Allison's affidavit. After JP Miller's affair with Micah became known, the church apparently asked him to enroll in an extensive sexual addiction program,

which, according to Allison, he promised he would, but to her knowledge that never happened.

According to Allison, the affair tore her family in the church apart. "Cost an unimaginable amount of pain and discord in the lives of so many innocent people who truly trusted and believed in JP. Now here is where it gets more interesting. We have told you about how worried JP was about the effect Micah Miller's departure would have on his church. According to sources, he was very worried that word would get out

“the key was cheating on Micah and that Micah would reveal even more details about a sex life”

that would result in him again losing his congregation, which is what happened in 2015 after the affair was discovered. But it is not so simple to say that JP's flock scattered back then because of the affair that he had with Micah. According to Allison's affidavit, this is what happened. The church went a JP to step down temporarily to get treatment. The church council relying on amended bylaws that gave them the authority to do this ordered JP to do so,

but after they voted, JP then held a meeting and informed them that the new bylaws were invalid. And according to the old bylaws, he had a hundred percent decision making authority.

Here's what Allison wrote about that. "That was the first time members of the church had an

opportunity to see JP for who he really was and became gravely concerned about how his integrity and the financial structure of the church. As a result, almost our entire congregation left the church. And JP began his quest to recruit new members and operate solid rock ministries solely at his discretion. So that brings us to the now, right? This puts the now in better perspective. JP wasn't just scared of what a divorce from Micah might do to the number of church members.

This was a different church altogether from when Allison belonged to it. This was a church that JP had built in JP's likeness. A church that recognized JP's authority in a much less distilled way

then what would he have left? JP is this church and this church is JP.

“Now back in 2015, when Allison learned about JP's inappropriate behavior with minor female”

members of the church, and I'm saying inappropriate behavior here not to gloss over the details, but simply because we don't know them. Allison said she went to the girls and asked them to come forward. The girls told her what happened, but said they were too scared of JP to tell police and testify in court according to the affidavit. "When I learned they were too fearful to report JP, I went to the police department for the purpose of making a report and requesting an

investigation. However, I was in essence told by police officials that nobody would believe me because JP was a well-known pastor and we were in the middle of a divorce." So that's terrific, right? The police apparently weren't even receptive to hearing about the potential and apparently unreported abuse happening at an area church. I know your next question is going to be like, "What about the church elders? weren't they required to report this abuse after JP told them about it?"

"Yeah, but we have not seen any evidence thus far that they did so."

Here's what Allison says happened next. "I began to realize the power JP seemed to have over

leaders and officials in our community and based upon having limited power, there was no way for me to ensure JP was held accountable and prevented from continuing to victimize innocent people.

“Given the circumstances, I decided the best way for me to protect our children was to reach an”

agreement with JP that contained terms I believed would ensure their safety and encourage him to seek treatment." To that end, JP had periodic periods of visitation with our children, however, we agreed JP's visitation with our daughter, who is a subject to this action, would be restricted to solely daytime periods of visitation. So according to this, JP hasn't been allowed to have his now teenage daughter for overnight visits because of his history with teenage girls. Allison's

affidavit also gives us insight into her relationship with Micah, who had been very close to the Miller family prior to the affair. Allison says she taught Micah to drive and took her to get her driver's license and that Micah shared many meal times with the family. Allison says that she provided Micah with guidance and advice and that Micah started working for the church around that same time. In her affidavit, Allison writes, "Despite the initial destruction caused by JP's

infidelity, for several years there was a part of me that was relieved to know Micah would be present in the home when JP had periods of visitation with our children, and I viewed her as a safety net for my children." So, having Micah there was a big deal for Allison despite and because of the history of their relationship. For a while, things weren't so tumultuous, she says, but then things changed in 2021 and 2022. Things changed to the detriment of her children, she said, escalating to the

quote "severity of where things are today." "Hey, oh, it's Manny Manny. If you're listening to coerced, you already know that Micah Francis Miller's story runs so much deeper than what the world saw on Netflix." This week on True Sunlight, Liz Farrell and I are breaking down what death of the pastor's wife left out, and trust me, it is a lot like JP's fellow father, Reginald Wayne Miller, and how JP inherited the playbook from him, the manipulation, the lawsuit,

the just-keep preaching arrogance, straight from his daddy. Plus, we talk about the two Jane Dolossuits that Netflix barely touched, and we tell you a whole lot about JP's x-white

“that Netflix left out. Remember, Justice for Micah is a movement, not a moment,”

in the full story matters. So, follow True Sunlight wherever you're listening right now, and check out episode 163, what Netflix left out of the Micah Francis Miller's story. Stay tuned, stay pesky, and stay in the sunlight. [Music] Allison says her children were placed in the middle of JP's marital problems with Micah.

"JP would preach sermons on Sundays, our children were with him and present in the congregation. Disparaging Micah and indicating she had mental health issues, and eventually putting her in a mental hospital. The children were subjected to JP calling Micah a crazy one-day, and then her being back in the home at their next visit with their father,

assuring them she was fine. They never knew what to expect, and the intense unpredictability

On one occasion while picking up our daughter, I observed holes in their walls, hinges off the doors,

“and pieces of paper taped to the walls with negative affirmations about Micah.”

JP told me and our children that Micah was delusional, and speaking different languages, and seeing things that were not there. Okay, obviously we don't know for sure about reading between the lines. It seems like Allison is saying that the environment was bad, not because of Micah's mental health, but because of what JP was saying about Micah's mental health. Notice how she doesn't say her children witnessed any of this supposed behavior.

But can you imagine telling children these things about their stepmother and then expecting

them not to have worries or questions about it? Sources tell us that Micah really cared for her

stepchildren and the two younger ones in particular really cared about her. This is scary stuff

“for kids to have to contend with. Okay, so then Allison's affidivit gets even more interesting.”

Quote, JP began spending time with his new paramour, Susie. Yes, Allison went there. Now those of you have been following the story really closely on social media and might recognize the name Susie. JP was pictured with Susie shortly after, Micah's death reportedly, having an apparently good time at a local restaurant. In addition, Robinson County Sheriff's Office put in their press release about Micah's death at the time of Micah's death,

JP was with a romantic interest in Charleston and there are a lot of rumors about JP and Susie and Susie's deceased husband. Let's hear what Allison has to say about JP and Susie, whose son played soccer with JP and Allison's son. Quote, JP began using our son to facilitate time she could spend with Susie, which our children were well aware of. Their friends talked about it and it caused them a tremendous amount of embarrassment. When I learned JP was exposing our

children to yet another one of his adulterous affairs, I confronted JP and Susie and told them not to let it happen again. JP called me the day Susie's husband died in an alleged drowning accident, extremely upset and asking me to pray, which was incredibly bizarre. Based on information and belief just two weeks prior to this incident, Susie's husband had confronted JP and asked him to leave his wife and children alone. It is chilling to know that the spouses of both Susie and JP are now dead

from tragic events and Quote. So Susie's husband was 40-year-old Chris Skinner. He was in a car crash involving a drunk driver at age 20 and was paralyzed from the chest down according to news reports. He was a motivational speaker and had written books and he was an adaptive surfer meaning, even though he was quadriplegic he enjoyed surfing and the water, meaning he was comfortable around the water. In September 2021, he was found unresponsive in his neighborhood pool.

He drowned to death. His death was ruled accidental. On social media people haven't simulated that there's more to Chris's death and that it needed to be investigated back then, and needs to be reinvestigated today. Allison Williams, JP's former wife, has now put it on the record that she also believes something strange was a foot here. She says that it was around the time of Chris's death that JP's mental health began quote really spiraling out of control and

he began acting even more bizarre. Quote, he informed me that he was getting into buying guns and shooting and he had purchased a gun safe for his home. As a convicted felon he is not allowed to have weapons however. He managed to get a police chase from the church to assist with expunging his record. Further, he was given a special police badge that says pastor to utilize

“if he ever gets pulled over so they will let him go. A badge you guys? Sound familiar? Remember”

when we all found out that L.A.K. Murdoch had been carrying around not just one, but two badges from the 14st Circuit Solicitor's office and driving around with blue lights on his truck for no

good reason. Good old boys never grow up and it's always surprising to find out just how much the

system enables them with these pseudo VIP experiences on the taxpayer dime. According to the public index, JP has a long history of traffic infractions. In addition, one of the charges he had pardoned in 2022 was for getting caught driving under suspension for the third time. Two wives, eight years apart.

about the insight we have been getting from court documents and connection to JP's first divorce,

“which was filed in the summer of 2015 by his first wife Alice in Williams. After his affair with”

Michael was discovered. We've also talked about the timeline of Michael's divorce, of Michael filed in October 2023, citing adultery, then consented to dropping the case in February of this year, only to have JP immediately turn around and file his own motion for protection, which was later dropped. That was all before Michael finally filed for a no fault divorce in April,

shortly before her death. The timeline helps give context to the other things that we're going on

in Michael's life at the time. In terms of the harassment she was reporting and in terms of the pressure her friends and family, say she was getting from JP and other church members to drop

“her divorce case. That context is the word adultery appearing in her original filing.”

In both Allison and Michael's cases, it was clear that JP's reputation at the church and has ability to keep tithers coming through the door was and is of utmost importance to him.

In Allison's case, she originally kept JP's affair out of the courtroom because, according to her

affidavit, she didn't want his career to be further affected. She didn't want the church to lose any more members. It wasn't until JP ignored two court orders and went months without paying her the alimony she needed to pay her mortgage that she gave the court the full picture of who JP really was. In my case, she elected to include the adultery. Why was it to hurt JP to embarrassed him? Maybe. But there is another potential reason. By fighting his adultery, she was speeding up

the process in South Carolina. She was essentially asking the court to get her out of this union, ASAP. That could be because she didn't want to be connected to JP any longer. Or, it could be because she simply could not afford to live apart from him for a full year before being allowed

“to have him out of her life. And that is the problem with divorce in South Carolina. You have to”

live apart for a year, which is expensive. Especially for a woman who made pennies, working for her husband at his church. When he wasn't firing her and rehiring her on a whim, as Micah's attorney said that he did. So women in abusive situations in their marriages are faced with a very difficult challenge. We could go on for days about this. Divorce is difficult even for couples with amicable splits. Add in a wealth discrepancy, power differential, and long-term, unreported abuse,

and women in South Carolina are at an extreme disadvantage when trying to leave a partner who does not agree that they should be divorced. That said, these women weren't just divorcing JP. They were divorcing his church, which both women have referred to as being synonymous with him. They weren't just divorcing the church. In some way, they were using the only shred of power they had in this situation. The good pastor's weak spot, his reputation and the church

versus what they knew to be intimately true about him as leverage. But like with those videos, JP couldn't help himself either. In both cases, resulted in unflattering and concerning details about his life being put on the record. He is not alone. In fact, there is a bit of a pattern here. History repeating itself. Until next time, stay tuned, stay pesky, and stay in the sunlight. Coerced, the devotion and death of Micah Francis Miller, is a lunar shark production,

with reporting from journalists, Manny Madney, Liz Farrell, and Beth Brayden. Made possible by producers Kate Thomas, Grace Hills, and David Moses. Learn more about our mission and membership at lunasharkmedia.com.