Man gets life sentence for killing teen in dress shop basement
A 42-year-old man will spend at least 50 years in prison for fatally shooting a teen in the party space below a Wichita dress shop in 2015.
Jurors in November convicted Grover D. James of first-degree premeditated murder and criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the May 9, 2015, killing of 17-year-old Leon McClennon in the basement of Parrot-fa-Nalia Unique Boutique, 1719 S. Hillside. McClennon, a West High School student, was there that night for a birthday party.
He was slain during a confrontation with James that also involved one of McClennon’s friends. James, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintains that he shot the teen in self-defense.
Sedgwick County District Court Judge Stephen Ternes handed down a life sentence to James on Friday, according to court records. He’ll be eligible for parole after serving 50 years.
Amy Renee Leiker: 316-268-6644, @amyreneeleiker
This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 4:59 PM with the headline "Man gets life sentence for killing teen in dress shop basement."