The trial of Andrew Lester, the 85-year-old Kansas City white man who shot Black teenager Ralph Yarl after the boy mistakenly rang his doorbell, has been delayed indefinitely after a judge ordered a mental evaluation.
Lester’s attorney, Steve Salmon, requested the evaluation, citing concerns about the 85-year-old’s ability to comprehend the legal proceedings and assist in his defense, as per a Daily Mail report.
Lester, who is a retired aircraft mechanic, had been scheduled to stand trial on October 7 for first-degree assault and armed criminal action related to the April 2023 shooting.
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However, due to his current deteriorated health situation, the trial has now been postponed, with a hearing set for the following day, on October. 8.
The shooting occurred when Yarl, 16 at the time, went to the wrong address while trying to pick up his younger brothers.
Yarl testified that Lester shot him in the head and arm after telling him, “Don’t come here ever again.” Miraculously, Yarl nonetheless survived the incident and graduated high school, but his family says the shooting caused significant emotional trauma and left him in a truly devastating state to recover. They have since filed a civil lawsuit against Lester, eagerly seeking justice for the wrong afforded their boy.
This case now has drawn widespread attention, reigniting debates over race and gun laws in the United States.
Lester, who has pleaded not guilty, claims he acted in self-defense, according to his lawyer. Salmon argued that Lester was startled by the late-night knock on his door and feared for his safety. In the months since the shooting, Salmon said Lester’s health has worsened due to heart issues, a broken hip, and stress from the case, including media scrutiny and death threats.
Salmon also raised concerns about Lester’s mental state, citing confusion and memory problems as a condition that hinders the progress of the case and one that needs attention. According to court documents, Lester has struggled to distinguish pretrial hearings from the actual trial and believes certain purchases, such as coins bought from a television ad, are worth millions of dollars.
“Counsel has noticed a significant decline in Defendant’s overall physical health, as well as his mental acuity,” Salmon wrote in the motion, adding that the stress from the case has also made social interactions difficult for Lester.
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The timeline for the trial is now uncertain as the court awaits the results of the mental evaluation, yet the family of Yarl will be hoping to get justice for their boy, as they believe Lester’s intentions in the shooting deliberate.
