Man pleads not guilty in infant's death

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SYCAMORE – A Sycamore man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he caused the death of his infant son by shaking him.

A grand jury indicted Terrance T. Norris Sr., 19, on May 29 on three counts of first-degree murder, according to court documents. Norris was in court Monday for his arraignment, where DeKalb County Public Defender Regina Harris entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf and requested a jury trial for her client.

According to court documents, Norris admitting to shaking the 2-month-old infant, Terrance Norris Jr., twice on Sept. 28, 2008, because he was frustrated and the baby would not stop crying.

The boy’s head went back and forth twice, causing a brain injury, according to court documents.

Norris called 911 two days later and said his baby was not breathing, according to Sycamore police. The baby was taken to Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb and then transferred to Rockford Memorial. Doctors there found the child had brain injuries, and told police the believed the baby’s injuries had been inflicted intentionally, according to court documents.

The child died in May, according to DeKalb County First Assistant State’s Attorney Bill Engerman.

When asked if the baby died of his injuries, Engerman said, “We would not have brought the murder charges if we did not believe that there is evidence to support that the child’s death was in direct relation to the defendant’s actions.”

Norris was initially charged with aggravated battery of a child last year, court documents show. The charges were changed after the baby died.

If convicted, Norris faces life in prison with no possibility of parole, Circuit Judge Robbin Stuckert said Monday. Norris is next due in court July 23. His bond is set at $250,000, and he is being housed at the Boone County Jail.