Lawyer for ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore wants charges dismissed, says woman is seeking windfall

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A lawyer for fired University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore declared his innocence Thursday and said charges of home invasion and stalking were based on an effort by a staff member to get a financial windfall from the school's “deep pockets."

In a court filing, defense attorney Ellen Michaels responded to allegations that shocked college football in December. It also signals that Moore, who was fired for a relationship with the staffer and arrested hours later, is fighting the charges and wants the case dismissed.

“This Court is not confronted with a close call or a technical defect,” Michaels wrote. “It is confronted with a prosecution that never should have begun.”

Moore was abruptly fired on Dec. 10 for having an inappropriate relationship and for lying during the university's investigation, his dismissal letter states.

Authorities say Moore later that day entered the woman’s apartment, blamed her for the firing and grabbed butter knives and kitchen scissors while threatening to kill himself.

A prosecutor quoted Moore as telling the woman, “My blood is on your hands.”

Moore, 39, has pleaded not guilty to charges of felony home invasion, stalking and illegal entry.

Michaels said the warrant to arrest Moore was deeply flawed because police wrongly informed a magistrate that Moore had been stalking the woman for months and was dangerous.

Michaels said police relied on misinformation from the woman's personal lawyer, Heidi Sharp, as it investigated what happened. Michaels doesn't dispute that Moore turned up at the woman's apartment, but she claims there's no evidence that she had told him to stay away.

“A magistrate must be given a fair and accurate picture. When the picture is distorted, the warrant cannot stand,” Michaels wrote.

She accused Sharp 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.”

A message seeking comment from Sharp was not immediately returned.

Earlier Thursday, a judge held a hearing to get an update on the case. Michaels disclosed that she had filed the request to quash the arrest and would argue it at a future date.

Washtenaw County assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said she had just received the filing. The next hearing was set for Feb. 17.

Moore arrived at the courthouse with his wife, Kelli and waited in an adjacent courtroom for his case to be called. He declined to comment but stood nearby when Michaels briefly spoke to reporters and said he's innocent.

Moore coached the Wolverines for two seasons as the successor to Jim Harbaugh, who won a national championship before quitting to become coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers.

Kyle Whittingham, who coached Utah for two decades, is the new Michigan coach.

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, left, stands with his attorney, Ellen K. Michaels, in the lobby of the courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, center, appears in the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore appears in the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, second from right, walks with his wife, Kelli Moore, left, and his attorney, Ellen K. Michaels, right, towards the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

FILE - Michigan coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field following an NCAA football game Aug. 30, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A game between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies was postponed Sunday because of a massive winter storm that's moving across much of the United States.

NBA officials announced less than three hours before tipoff that the game would be rescheduled because of conditions in the Memphis area, where a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain began falling early Saturday morning and continued Sunday morning.

Both teams and the officiating crew had arrived in Memphis. That wasn't the case in Milwaukee, where the Bucks were set to host the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Mavs were unable to fly in Saturday night. As of early Sunday afternoon, they were still in Dallas and planning to be in Milwaukee by mid-afternoon.

An NBA G League game scheduled for Monday between the Memphis Hustle and Stockton Kings in Southaven, Mississippi, was also postponed and rescheduled for Feb. 19.

South and east of Memphis, freezing rain has collected on power lines and trees, causing widespread outages and blocked roads. Authorities had recommended people stay off the streets as the wintry mix and frigid temperatures caused a refreeze.

The Nuggets said they planned to fly out at some point on Sunday, depending on the conditions at Memphis International Airport. They are scheduled to play at home Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons.

The Grizzlies are scheduled to play the Rockets in Houston on Monday.

At least two college women's basketball games were also postponed: No. 17 Tennessee’s visit to No. 18 Mississippi on Monday and Tulane's visit to Memphis on Tuesday. Reschedule dates weren’t immediately announced.

A men's game featuring Tennessee at No. 21 Georgia was pushed back a day from Tuesday to Wednesday.

On Saturday, the NBA postponed a game between the Warriors and Timberwolves to “prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community” after the fatal shooting of a man by a federal officer in a commercial district less than two miles from where the Timberwolves play.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Pedestrians cross the street along Broadway during a winter storm Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II (45) handles the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

David Bentley shovels ice and snow from his driveway during a winter storm Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)