
Former Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore pleaded no contest to “malicious use of service provided by telecommunications service provider” and trespassing. They were both misdemeanors, with the felonious home invasion being dropped.
Moore was fired for cause at Michigan for an inappropriate relationship with staffer Paige Shiver. Shortly after that, he would be arrested after breaking into Shiver's home and threatening to harm himself.
For many, this is going to be the end of the Moore case. That's not the case for Shiver, though. So, in the wake of the plea deal, her lawyers released a statement calling out Michigan, looking for some accountability.
“This case is about far more than one terrifying incident. It raises urgent and troubling questions about how a powerful figure within a major university athletic program was able to engage in years of inappropriate conduct toward a subordinate without meaningful intervention or oversight,” the statement from Andrew M. Stroth and Steven A. Hart, two Chicago-based lawyers, reads, via On3. “Our client believes strongly that she may not be the only person who experienced inappropriate, coercive, or predatory behavior from this individual.
“… The University of Michigan is one of the most well-regarded institutions in the world, yet they have an athletic department that has a pattern and practice of systemic failures. Our pursuit on behalf of Ms. Shiver is to get some level of accountability and justice so this doesn’t happen to other individuals.”
Shiver could ultimately bring a lawsuit against Michigan over the Moore case. That could become both a very expensive legal battle and one where she looks to find that accountability.
“Our client came forward at tremendous personal cost because she believes that silence allows abuse of power to continue,” the statement continues. “Her hope is that by speaking out, others who may have been intimidated into remaining quiet will find the strength to share their experiences as well.”
In many respects, Paige Shiver is correct that Michigan is going to need to make changes within its athletic department, particularly the football program. At this point, there are too many legal issues in the last five years to overlook.
Outside of Sherrone Moore's firing and arrest, there have been several other legal issues for coaches in the football program. That includes the Matt Weiss arrest in 2023. A former offensive coordinator, he was charged by the FBI with hacking into computer systems of100 universities and spying on the data of more than 3,000 athletes, mostly women, stealing personal photos. More recently, former assistant coach LaTroy Lewis was fired by the Atlanta Falcons due to sexual assault allegations from his time at Michigan.
There have been several other arrests of staff during that time period. Those cases have largely been DUI-related.
Then, in that same stretch of time, the program has faced several cheating scandals. That includes recruiting violations, which led to a suspension for Jim Harbaugh. Later, there was the infamous Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. Those scandals matter, but are also much less important than the off-field legal issues.
In December, ESPN reported that the University of Michigan had commissioned a full investigation into the practices and culture of its athletic department. This comes amid those scandals that have been consistently popping up during the time Warde Manuel has been athletic director. What comes from that investigation remains to be seen.
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