Sherrone Moore’s extramarital affair led to his firing as Michigan’s football coach, but it was his wife who helped him avoid the “full wrath” of the court after he stormed into his ex-mistress’ home and threatened to kill himself.
Moore, who was fired by Michigan over an affair with his ex-assistant Paige Shiver, avoided jail time on Tuesday and received just 18 months probation for two misdemeanors.
But things could’ve been worse if not for his wife, Kelli Moore.
As District Court Judge Cedric Simpson said in Washtenaw County Court during Tuesday’s hearing, a letter from Kelli played a role in his decision-making on the case.
“The person who is saving you from the full wrath of this court is the person who you betrayed,” Judge Simpson said, according to reports.
“When all of the circumstances are happening to her, and she is absorbing them in real time, she not once loses her focus, not once bats an eye to doubt you, not once wants something terrible to happen to you.
“As I listened to the terror in her voice that day, I don’t think there would be anybody in the world who would have blamed her from saying, ‘I am done here.’ I am amazed by you Ms. Moore,” Simpson continued.. “I don’t know where it comes from. If we had more people like you in the world, I may be out of a job, but the world would be a better place.”
The former coach thanked his wife for “standing by me” as he spoke in court, and the two could be seen sharing a hug after he avoided prison time.
Moore pleaded no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device involving a domestic relationship, and was also ordered not to contact Shiver, 32, and to stay away from drugs and alcohol. He is also not allowed to possess firearms.
Moore, who was also fined roughly $1,000, had previously faced more serious stalking and home invasion charges which could have landed him as much as five years in prison. He was also accused by prosecutors of flooding Shiver’s phone with texts and calls.
Moore, 40, was fired by Michigan on Dec. 10 after Shiver informed the school about the affair, costing him his job at the Big Ten powerhouse two days after she had ended the relationship with him.
Following his dismissal from Michigan, Moore went to Shiver’s house, allegedly threatening to harm himself with a butter knife.
“I’m going to kill myself. I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You’ve ruined my life,” Moore allegedly told Shiver at the time, according to prosecutors.
Shiver did not attend Tuesday’s hearing, but Judge Simpson said that she asked for Moore to receive the harshest sentence possible
“He broke into my apartment, crying, yelling, enraged, and came at me with knives,” she said in a statement. “I was threatened, and I feared for my life.”
However, Judge Simpson determined that prison time was not “appropriate” for Moore in this situation.
Moore, according to his attorney, is undergoing therapy as he works to repair his life.
He and Kelli share three children.
Moore was formerly Michigan’s offensive coordinator and served as the Wolverines’ head coach for two seasons before his termination.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
