Guilty Plea in Shooting of Black Teen Who Rang the Wrong Doorbell
The New York Times
Andrew D. Lester, a Kansas City resident in his 80s, was charged with felonies in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a teen who went to the wrong address.
An octogenarian who shot and injured a teenager who rang the wrong doorbell in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty on Friday to second-degree assault, resolving the case just days before a trial was set to begin.
Andrew D. Lester, 86, had been charged in state court with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a high school student who arrived at the wrong house — Mr. Lester’s — while trying to pick up his younger brothers.
Mr. Lester, who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, could face a range of sentences when he returns to court next month. The judge could send him to prison for up to seven years, issue a fine or both. Prosecutors said they would ask for a five-year prison term, though Mr. Lester is allowed to request a lesser sentence.
The shooting of Mr. Yarl, who is Black, by Mr. Lester, who is white, led to protests in Kansas City and a national outcry, including an invitation from former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for the teenager to visit the White House. It also raised painful questions about race in Kansas City, which has a long history of segregation. Many residents and politicians in the area said they believed that race played a role in the shooting, while the county prosecutor said early on that “there was a racial component to the case.”
Mr. Lester, who could have been sentenced to life in prison if convicted at trial on the most serious charge he faced, did not dispute shooting Mr. Yarl, who was 16 years old at the time and who is now in college. But months ago, Mr. Lester had pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer had indicated that he would claim self-defense at his trial, which was set to begin next week.
“This case centers on the reasonableness of actions taken, not the right to self-defense,” Zachary Thompson, the Clay County prosecutor, said in a statement after the plea hearing on Friday. He added that “Ralph made an innocent mistake, and the consequences — being shot twice — far exceeded any reasonable response.”
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