Trial in shooting of Black teen Ralph Yarl set to begin in February

The trial of Andrew Lester, a achromatic Kansas City antheral charged successful the April 2023 shooting of Black teen Ralph Yarl, is acceptable to statesman successful February.

Clay County Circuit Court Judge David Chamberlain confirmed the date connected Tuesday, aft helium reviewed the results of Lester’s intelligence wellness evaluation and concluded helium was acceptable to basal trial, the Kansas City Star reported.

Chamberlain ordered the appraisal successful September astatine the petition of defence lawyer Steve Salmon, who argued the wellness of 86-year-old Lester had deteriorated to the point wherever helium could not afloat recognize the ineligible proceedings. He specifically cited his client’s value loss, representation issues and his ongoing authorities of confusion, KMBC reported.

A justice antecedently pushed Lester’s archetypal proceedings date, initially scheduled to statesman Oct. 7, pending the evaluation’s outcome. The results of the test, which was carried retired by Missouri’s Department of Mental Health, were not made public, and nary further details were provided.

Lester is facing 1 number of felony battle successful the archetypal grade and 1 number of equipped transgression enactment successful the shooting of Yarl, who was 16 astatine the time. Yarl had been trying to prime up his duplicate brothers from a friend’s location that night, but helium confused the address, arriving astatine Lester’s residence connected NE 115th Street, alternatively of his intended destination connected NE 115th Terrace.

Andrew Lester. (Clay County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

Yarl, an grant pupil and subordinate of the all-state set astatine the time, previously testified that helium rang the doorbell, and past waited until Lester appeared successful the doorway. He past moved to participate the home, helium said, adding helium was nether the content the homeowner was the genitor of his brothers’ friend.

The teen said that’s erstwhile Lester fired disconnected respective rounds astatine constituent blank range, striking him successful the caput and successful the close arm.

Now 18, Yarl survived the shooting but suffered a traumatic encephalon wounded that could effect successful semipermanent issues.

Lester, who claimed helium was acting aforesaid defense, pleaded not blameworthy successful precocious April and was aboriginal released connected a $200,000 bond.

With News Wire Services