A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation and postponed the trial for an 85-year-old white man who shot Ralph Yarl after the teenage black student accidentally arrived at his home in Kansas City, Missouri.
A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation and postponed the trial of an 85-year-old white man who Ralph Yarl after the black teenage student accidentally arrived at his home in Kansas City, Missouri.
Andrew Lester’s lawyer requested last month’s evaluation, which found that the retired aircraft mechanic’s health has deteriorated to the point that he is now unable to understand the proceedings against him or to support his own defense. The Public Prosecution Service has not objected to the request.
Lester’s trial was scheduled to begin on October 7. Instead, a hearing will be held the following day.
Lester has pleaded not guilty on charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 13, 2023, shooting death of Yarl, then 16. Yarl survived the shooting and graduated from high school in the spring. But his family said the shooting took a huge emotional toll and has left a court case to Lester.
The shooting shocked the country and renewed national discussion about gun policy and race in the US.
Attorney Steve Salmon has long argued that Lester act in self-defenseterrified when the stranger knocked on his door as he was getting ready for bed.
Yarl showed up at Lester’s doorstep after he had mixed up the streets where he was supposed to pick up his twin siblings. Yarl testified at an earlier hearing that Lester shot him in the head and told him, “Don’t ever come here again.” Although the bullet didn’t penetrate Yarl’s brain, the impact knocked him to the ground. Yarl said Lester then shot him in the arm.
In the months that followed, Lester suffered heart problems, a broken hip and hospital stays, Salmon said. Lester also lost 50 pounds (23 kilograms), which Salmon attributed to the stress he experienced from intense media scrutiny and death threats.