MARYVILLE, Mo. — An early 2009 trial was set Monday for the suspect in a stabbing death in rural Nodaway County earlier this year.

Steven Trent Sapp, 29, Tarkio, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 40-year-old Steven A. Leach of Maryville. Authorities said both men were involved in a March 30 fight outside the house of Mr. Leach’s wife, Ruschia, in Pickering in northern Nodaway County. Mr. Sapp has pleaded innocent to the charge through his public defender, Richard Euler.

Circuit Judge Roger Prokes set Mr. Sapp’s jury trial for Feb. 25 to 27.

Mr. Prokes rejected a defense attempt to reduce bond to a $50,000 percentage bond from the original $250,000.

“His family is looking at the possibility of hiring a private attorney,” Mr. Euler said.

Mr. Sapp said he had no problem with the trial setting. Mr. Prokes told him the months ahead will allow the opportunity to prepare a defense.

Mr. Euler unsuccessfully argued for a reduced bond that he said would allow his client to accomplish that goal while free on the smaller bond. A construction job in waiting would permit him to raise money for the trial, he added.

“The case has an element of self-defense,” he told Mr. Prokes. “He would be living at his parents’ (home) in Tarkio.”

However, Nodaway County Prosecutor David Baird argued against a lower bond.

“We do not believe self-defense is an element of this case,” he said.

At a May preliminary hearing, Mrs. Leach testified she was at home when the men fought but didn’t witness the disturbance.

Nodaway County Coroner Vince Shelby told the court Mr. Leach died from a cut to the brachial artery on his upper left arm that resulted in massive blood loss. Mr. Sapp allegedly stabbed Mr. Leach three times with a pocketknife during the fight.

Mr. Leach was able to drive his pickup two blocks from the scene before losing consciousness and crashing. Two of his children were with him at the time, but they were treated at St. Francis Hospital and released.

Mr. Leach remains in custody at the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail in Pattonsburg in lieu of the bond.

Ray Scherer can be reached at rscherer@npgco.com.

Correction: Due to a reporter’s error, the name of the suspect in a March murder in Pickering, Mo., was misidentified in the last paragraph of an article on Page B2 of Tuesday’s Midland section. Steven T. Sapp is charged with the second-degree murder of Steven A. Leach.