A Jackson County judge on Friday sentenced a Kansas City man to four years in prison for a fatal stabbing, but he could be eligible for probation after successfully completing a 120-day program, court records show.
Judge Sarah A. Castle handed down the sentence to 54-year-old Leon J. Reese, who pleaded guilty in August to one count of second-degree involuntary manslaughter in the March death of 52-year-old Eric Stennis. Along with the prison term, Castle recommended that Reese be placed in a Missouri Department of Corrections 120-day treatment program.
Prosecutors originally charged Reese with second-degree murder, tampering with a witness, and two counts of armed criminal action. As part of a plea agreement, the murder charge was reduced to involuntary manslaughter, and the remaining charges were dismissed. Reese pleaded guilty just days before he was to stand trial in August…