A Michigan judge raised serious questions this week about how charges were brought against former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, saying key details about his relationship with the woman at the center of the case may have been left out.
During a motion hearing on Tuesday, Washtenaw County Judge Cedric Simpson said he was “very worried” after reviewing the complaint used to seek home invasion and stalking charges. He also stated that the court was not informed that Moore had been the woman’s supervisor at work and that some of the contact cited by police may have been job-related.
“If I’m the magistrate, I’m getting half the story,” Simpson said in court. “I really have a problem with that.”
Moore is accused of repeatedly contacting the woman and entering her home without permission in December. His attorney argues that the communications cited by prosecutors took place during working hours and involved his executive assistant.
“It’s not stalking if the communication has a legitimate purpose,” Moore’s lawyer said, adding that the court should have been given the full picture before charges were authorized.
Simpson agreed to allow an evidentiary hearing on March 2 to examine whether the omission affected Moore’s due process rights. Moore was fired by the university last year following an internal investigation and faces multiple charges that could carry significant prison time if upheld.
