Highland Park man sentenced for killing girlfriend, a trans woman, in 2022

A Highland Park man has been sentenced to 12 to 20 years in prison for killing his girlfriend after an argument in February 2022.

Michael Norris pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony firearm. A charge of tampering with evidence was dismissed as a part of his plea.

Prosecutors said Norris shot Naomi Skinner, 25, in the neck Feb. 12, 2022, and dragged her body out of a unit into the hallway of apartment building in the 14200 block of 2nd Avenue in Highland Park before fleeing. Police found Skinner dead in a fourth-floor hallway.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Kam Towns said Skinner's family told her Skinner, who was a transgender woman, was bullied during her relationship with Norris. Towns said her family is glad Norris is being held responsible for his actions.

"I just want to apologize to her family and friends," Norris said. "Nobody deserves to die. ... I hope one day they can find it in their hearts to forgive me."

Norris' attorney, Blase Schmid-Kearney, said Norris and Skinner did not have the best relationship.

"This is something that's going to haunt him for the rest of his days and the impact of it is going to go far beyond the prison sentence," Schmid-Kearney said.

Wayne County Judge Margaret Van Houten did not comment much on the sentencing, as she stuck to a sentence agreement made by prosecutors and the defense attorneys, but she gave her condolences to Skinner's family after she read Norris's sentence.

"Nothing we do will ever bring her back, but I hope that this will bring you closure and help your family start to heal and move forward in your grief," Van Houten said.

Before the sentencing portion of the hearing began, the attorneys and Van Houten discussed issues with how the author of the pre-sentence report chose to use Skinner's name and incorrect pronouns. Schmid-Kearney said the author actively changed what witnesses told them, as far as pronouns and Skinner's name went.

kberg@detroitnews.com