03/06/26 02:39:00
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03/06 14:38 CST Fired Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore reaches plea deal
to resolve home invasion case
Fired Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore reaches plea deal to resolve home
invasion case
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) --- Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore pleaded
no contest Friday to two misdemeanors in a criminal case that arose immediately
after he was fired for having an inappropriate relationship with his executive
assistant.
The deal was struck on the same day that a judge planned to hear a challenge to
Moore's arrest in December on three charges, including felony home invasion.
Those charges were dropped in exchange for Moore pleading no contest to
misdemeanor trespassing and misdemeanor malicious use of a telecom device.
"Things have changed," Judge J. Cedric Simpson said.
Moore had confronted the woman with whom he had been having an affair and
blamed her for his dismissal, even threatening to kill himself with butter
knives in her apartment, authorities said.
___ EDITOR'S NOTE --- This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or
someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the
U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at
988lifeline.org
___
"All the charges against Mr. Moore were not supported by facts and law," said
attorney Ellen Michaels, standing alongside Moore and his wife, outside the
courtroom. "The dismissal of those charges validates the concerns we raised
about the investigation from the very beginning. Mr. Moore is pleased to put
this behind him and move forward."
Moore did not respond to a reporter asking him for comment. Assistant
prosecutor Kati Rezmierski, on her way out of the courthouse, declined an
interview request..
Sentencing is scheduled for April 14 on charges that have a potential maximum
of six months and 30 days in prison.
He was fired on Dec. 10 after two seasons as the successor to Jim Harbaugh, who
won a national championship before leaving to lead the NFL's Los Angeles
Chargers. A message seeking comment was left with the University of Michigan.
Moore arrived at the courthouse with his wife, Kelli, and they walked toward
the courtroom holding hands, interlacing fingers.
In dismissing Moore, the university cited an inappropriate relationship with a
staff member. Rezmierski has said the woman ended the affair a few days before
Moore's firing and cooperated with the school's investigation.
The AP isn't identifying the woman, who has accused Moore of domestic violence
and stalking. She did not answer a dozen calls or respond to some text messages
from him before his dismissal, police said.
"It's not stalking if the communication has a legitimate purpose," Michaels has
said.
A message seeking comment was left with attorney Heidi Sharp, who is
representing Moore's former executive assistant.
Michaels has accused the woman's personal lawyer of giving information to
police to "villainize Mr. Moore and maximize the chances of obtaining a large
settlement from the deep pockets of the University of Michigan."
___
Associated Press writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.
___
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the assistant
prosecutor's name to Kati Rezmierski instead of Katie Rezmierski.
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