- Andrew Lester, who shot Ralph Yarl through his front door in 2023, pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a Missouri courtroom. The shooting, which occurred when Yarl mistakenly rang Lester’s doorbell, reignited the debate over “stand your ground” laws and race.
- Yarl testified he went to the wrong address when trying to pick up his siblings and that Lester shot him through the door.
- Lester will be sentenced in March, with prosecutors seeking at least five years in prison. He could face up to seven years behind bars.
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Nearly two years after Andrew Lester fired a gun through his front door, hitting Ralph Yarl, the 86-year-old pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a Missouri courtroom Friday, Feb. 14. The shooting occurred in 2023 when Yarl mistakenly rang Lester’s doorbell, thinking he was at the right house to pick up his siblings.
Shooting sparks national debate over ‘stand your ground’ law
Yarl, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, suffered life-threatening injuries. It also drew national attention and reignited the debate over “stand your ground” laws. In Missouri, homeowners can legally use force against perceived threats.
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Lester initially pleaded not guilty to armed criminal action and assault charges, planning to argue his innocence at trial.
On April 13, Yarl mistakenly went to Lester’s house while trying to pick up his siblings, thinking he had the right address. A year after the shooting, Yarl testified he didn’t have his phone to double-check the address. He ended up at Northeast 115th Street, as opposed to Terrace. Yarl rang Lester’s doorbell, and Lester allegedly shot him through the door, saying, “Don’t never come here again.”
Lester told police he saw a Black man pulling on his door and feared he was about to break in.
Reaction from Yarl’s family
Yarl’s mother said that the plea deal provided some closure for her son and prevented him from having to relive that traumatic day.
Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson echoed the sentiment, saying it “Provides closure to Mr. Yarl and satisfies the need to achieve a just result in the case.”
Thompson added, “It allows our citizens to move forward knowing that the court system in Clay County, Missouri, yields just results for victims and defendants.”
Civil rights advocates called for hate crime charges, citing racial elements in the case. However, prosecutors found no evidence to bring hate crime charges.
“When I first addressed this case, I said that race was a component in the case,” Thomspon said. “And race is an obvious component in this case. However, no evidence was uncovered that revealed a racial motivation.”
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Sentencing set for March
Lester is scheduled to return to court for sentencing in March. A judge could impose a maximum seven-year prison sentence. Missouri prosecutors are seeking a sentence of at least five years behind bars.
[Lauren Taylor]
NEARLY TWO YEARS SINCE ANDREW LESTER FIRED A GUN THROUGH HIS FRONT DOOR HITTING A TEENAGE BOY, THE 86 YEAR OLD PLED GUILTY TO LESSER CHARGES IN A MISSOURI COURTROOM..
IN 2023, TWO BULLETS STRUCK RALPH YARL AFTER HE RANG THE DOORBELL, MISTAKING LESTER’S KANSAS CITY HOME FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S.
YARL SURVIVED BUT SUFFERED LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED.
THE SHOOTING GRABBED NATIONAL ATTENTION, REIGNITING DEBATE OVER THE STAND YOUR GROUND LAW, WHICH ALLOWS HOMEOWNERS TO USE FORCE AGAINST THREATS OR INTRUDERS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
LESTER PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ARMED CRIMINAL ACTION AND ASSAULT CHARGES, PLANNING TO ARGUE HIS INNOCENCE IN AN UPCOMING TRIAL.
YARL’S MOTHER SAYS THE SWITCH IN LESTER ADMITTING GUILT, PREVENTS HER SON FROM REVISITING THAT TRAUMATIC DAY WHILE STILL HOLDING LESTER ACCOUNTABLE.
(“provides closure to Mr. Yarl and satisfies the need to achieve a just result in the case. It allows our citizens to move forward knowing that the court system in Clay County, Missouri yields just results for victims and defendants.”
ON APRIL 13, THE 16-YEAR-OLD MISTAKENLY WENT TO LESTER’S HOUSE WHILE PICKING UP HIS SIBLINGS, THINKING HE HAD THE RIGHT ADDRESS.
A YEAR AFTER THE SHOOTING, YARL TESTIFIED HE DIDN’T HAVE HIS PHONE TO DOUBLE CHECK AND ENDED UP AT NORTHEAST 115TH STREET INSTEAD OF TERRACE, RINGING LESTER’S DOORBELL.
YARL CLAIMS LESTER SHOT HIM THROUGH THE DOOR, TELLING HIM TO “DON’T NEVER COME HERE AGAIN.”
LESTER TOLD POLICE HE SAW A BLACK MAN PULLING ON HIS DOOR AND WAS SCARED TO DEATH THAT HE WAS GOING TO BREAK IN.
CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY’S WORKED WITH THE YARL FAMILY AND CALLED ON THE PROSECUTION TO FILE HATE CRIME CHARGES.
(“So when when I first addressed this case, I said that race was a component in the case. Right? And race is an obvious component in this case. However, no evidence was uncovered that revealed a racial motivation.”
LESTER RETURNS TO COURT IN MARCH FOR SENTENCING, WHERE A JUDGE COULD IMPOSE A MAXIMUM OF SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON.
MISSOURI PROSECUTORS ARE PUSHING FOR LESTER TO SERVE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS BEHIND BARS.
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