Current:Home > NewsJudge orders psychological evaluation for white homeowner who shot Ralph Yarl-LoTradeCoin
Judge orders psychological evaluation for white homeowner who shot Ralph Yarl
View Date:2024-12-23 16:42:51
A judge has ordered a mental evaluation and delayed the trial of an 85-year-old white man who shot Ralph Yarl after the teenage Black honor student came to his Kansas City, Missouri, home by mistake.
Andrew Lester’s lawyer requested the evaluation last month, saying the retired aircraft mechanic’s health has deteriorated so much that he now lacks the capacity to understand the proceedings against him or to assist in his own defense. The prosecution didn’t object to the request.
The trial of Lester had been scheduled to begin Oct. 7. Instead, there will be a hearing the following day.
Lester has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 13, 2023, shooting of Yarl, then 16. Yarl survived the shooting and graduated from high school in the spring. But his family said the shooting took a big emotional toll and has filed a lawsuit against Lester.
The shooting shocked the country and renewed national debates about gun policies and race in the U.S.
Attorney Steve Salmon has long argued that Lester was acting in self-defense, terrified by the stranger who knocked on his door as he settled into bed for the night.
Yarl showed up on Lester’s doorstep after he 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 uttered, “Don’t come here ever 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 ensuing months, Lester has had heart issues, a broken hip and hospitalizations, Salmon said. Lester also has lost 50 pounds (23 kilograms), which Salmon blames on the stress he has experienced because of intense scrutiny from the news media and death threats.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- It's Red Cup Day at Starbucks: Here's how to get your holiday cup and cash in on deals
- Caitlin Clark returns to action Sunday: How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream
- Man charged in glass bottle attack on Jewish students in Pittsburgh now accused in earlier attack
- Huge payout expected for a rare coin bought by Ohio farm family and hidden for decades
- Appeals Court Affirms Conviction of Everglades Scientist Accused of Stealing ‘Trade Secrets’
- Talks between Boeing and its biggest union are coming down to the wire - and a possible strike
- Just how rare is a rare-colored lobster? Scientists say answer could be under the shell
- Evacuations ordered as wildfire burns in foothills of national forest east of LA
- Catholic bishops urged to boldly share church teachings — even unpopular ones
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Dark Matter
Ranking
- Summer I Turned Pretty's Gavin Casalegno Marries Girlfriend Cheyanne Casalegno
- The key to getting bigger biceps – and improving your overall health
- Unstoppable Director Details Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's Dynamic on Their New Movie
- College football upsets yesterday: Week 2 scores saw ranked losses, close calls
- Just Eat Takeaway sells Grubhub for $650 million, just 3 years after buying the app for $7.3 billion
- Bama Rush, step aside! 3-year-old star of 'Toddler Rush' combines cuteness and couture
- Dak Prescott leads Cowboys to 33-17 romp over Browns in opener after getting new 4-year contract
- In their tennis era, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce cheer at U.S. Open final
Recommendation
-
Falling scaffolding plank narrowly misses pedestrians at Boston’s South Station
-
Neighbor's shifting alibis lead to arrest in Mass. woman's disappearance, police say
-
Which NFL teams could stumble out of the gate this season?
-
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Romantic Weekend Includes Wedding and U.S. Open Dates
-
4 charged in Detroit street shooting that left 2 dead, 5 wounded
-
Neighbor's shifting alibis lead to arrest in Mass. woman's disappearance, police say
-
15-year-old boy fatally shot by fellow student in Maryland high school bathroom
-
Authorities search for a man who might be linked to the Kentucky highway shootings that wounded five