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03/06 14:22 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 Katie 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. 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.

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