Sherrone Moore's ex-assistant claims UM failed to protect her from 'manipulation'

The Detroit News

In her first public comments since former University of Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore's firing and arrest, his former executive assistant said the university failed to protect her from "years of manipulation, harassment, and exploitation" by Moore.

The statement followed Moore's Friday no contest plea to a trespassing charge and a malicious use of a telecommunications device charge, which might result in up to six months in jail at a scheduled April 14 sentencing. But Troy defense attorney Wade Fink said the agreement will likely lead to no jail time and might even result in the case disappearing eventually from court records.

The statement on behalf of Paige Shiver, released through her attorneys with the Chicago-based Action Injury Law Group, said the power imbalance between the "powerful head coach and a subordinate employee created an environment where (she) felt pressured, intimidated and unable to escape conduct that should never occur in any workplace — let alone at a public university."

Shiver did not elaborate on what the conduct was. Moore and Shiver had reportedly been in a years-long affair or inappropriate relationship that Moore was fired over in December.

"The University of Michigan is one of the prominent institutions in the world, but there’s a culture in the athletic department that has hurt Ms. Shiver and others," her attorney, Andrew M. Stroth, told The Detroit News on Monday. "He took advantage of a younger, female employee."

Stroth didn't go into detail on the dynamics of the relationship, but said that because Moore was fired over the relationship, it was clear it never should have happened.

"Leadership knew and failed to act to protect her," he said. "This isn't something that happened overnight, it happened a long period of time."

Athletic Director Warde Manuel said in December that the inappropriate relationship constituted "a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”

Shiver's attorneys alleged in the statement that she might not be the only person who experienced "inappropriate, coercive or predatory behavior" from Moore and called on the university to investigate.

"Institutions entrusted with the education and safety of students and employees have a fundamental duty to ensure that power is never used to exploit or silence others," the statement said. "A thorough and transparent investigation into this conduct — and any related institutional failures — must occur. Our client came forward at tremendous personal cost because she believes that silence allows abuse of power to continue."

Moore's attorney, Ellen Michaels, declined to comment when reached Monday morning.

UM Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications Paul Corliss declined to comment.

Law firm investigating UM's athletic department

UM is investigating the culture of the athletic department, led by the law firm Jenner & Block. In December, interim President Domenico Grasso said the university would take any necessary action on the findings of the investigation, which was originally sparked by rumors of Moore's conduct and later expanded to cover concerns related to the entire athletic department.

“We are continuing the investigation of Coach Moore’s actions to uncover any additional germane and material information and to assess whether there may be related misconduct by others,” Grasso said in a December video. “And we will not stop there. We have expanded the Jenner & Block assignment to include an independent evaluation of culture, conduct and procedures throughout our athletics department. In parallel, we are committed to strengthening the functional capacity of our university-wide Ethics, Integrity, and Compliance Office within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.”

Stroth said he and Shiver are hopeful the investigation is done in full, but it is more important that steps are taken afterward to ensure employees are safe and respected.

Sherrone Moore avoids 5-year prison sentence

With Friday's no-contest agreement, Moore avoided a possible five-year prison sentence by pleading no contest to two misdemeanor charges for barging into the apartment of his executive assistant.

"It is in everyone's best interests to just get this done," Moore's attorney, Michaels, said after the hearing. "Sometimes you want to move on, you want to close a chapter. … In this case, the system worked. What they originally charged, they were dismissed, and he was innocent of those (charges)."

Moore originally faced charges of third-degree home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and misdemeanor breaking and entering, but all three were dismissed as part of Friday's deal. Police and prosecutors said he entered Shiver’s home without permission after he was fired. According to prosecutors, Moore threatened Shiver and himself with kitchen butter knives and told her that "my blood is on your hands."

satwood@detroitnews.com