An 86-year-old homeowner from Kansas City, Andrew Lester, accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to second-degree assault after shooting Ralph Yarl back in 2023. The then-16-year-old Black honor student rang Lester's doorbell by mistake, with Lester shooting him in the head and in the arm. He survived the near-fatal incident but has been struggling since due to trauma.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Back on April 13, 2023, Yarl arrived at Lester's home by mistake. He was supposed to pick up his siblings at a different address. After ringing Lester's doorbell, the 86-year-old then fired his gun, shooting Yarl in the head and the arm, missing his brain. Lester would then call the police, claiming he shot Yarl before he was scared. Yarl was rushed to a hospital and he was dismissed three days later, according to CNN.
Lester would then plead not guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action back on April 19, 2023. He was supposed to stand trial next week in February 2025, but he accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to second-degree assault. He will not face up to seven years in prison, contrary to the previous 15 to 30 years expected sentence for the first-degree assault charge.
Plea Deal
Yarl's family criticized the plea deal, claiming that it would not erase the trauma they have endured ever since the incident took place in 2023.
"While this marks a step toward accountability, true justice requires consequences that reflect the severity of his actions. Anything less would be a failure to recognize the harm he has caused," the family said in a statement. "This case has never been just about Ralph. It is about every child's right to exist without being seen as a threat."
The family also stated that the Clay County Prosecuting Attorney's Office did not seek a more severe conviction. They stated that Zachary Thompson did not argue that race was a factor that contributed to the shooting.
On Friday, February 14, Thompson addressed these claims. "We understand their frustration, but throughout this process our office has maintained regular and respectful communication with Mr. Yarl's family," he said. "They were consulted during the process." Thompson claimed that race was part of the case, but that the shooting was not racially motivated.
Yarl And Lester
Ever since the shooting took place, Yarl has been struggling with the memory of the event. He revealed the details of his trauma in an exclusive interview with NBC News.
"Whenever there's something that goes on that reminds me of what happened ... I just have, like, such a negative wave of emotions, like anger, like disgust," Yarl told the outlet. "It's always a mix of good and bad days. And I feel like the good days are when I'm able to be around people that help me build myself up."
Andrew Lester will be sentenced on March 7. Previously, a judge ordered a mental evaluation of Lester but allowed the case to continue after it was completed. Lester's attorney, Steve Salmon, claimed that his client had been declining due to media coverage of his case.
