Clay County

Lester, an 84-year-old white man, was charged with two felonies for shooting Ralph Yarl, a Black teen, April 13. His trial is set for October 2024.

Andrew “Dan” Lester, 84, has a preliminary hearing in Clay County Court on Thursday and Friday, where the high-profile case will be held with limited media coverage and a gag on what attorneys can say outside of court.

A third of missing women in the U.S. are Black. In Jackson County, the death of Jaynie Crosdale, who was reported missing in January and found in the Missouri River in June, renews concerns about how cases of missing Black women are handled by Kansas City Police and other local law enforcement.

Jaynie Crosdale’s family remembers her as charismatic and able to talk to anyone. Her death has brought up questions about how police handle cases of missing Black women.

The Royals are choosing between a stadium and entertainment district in Kansas City's East Village or in North Kansas City.

Law enforcement had been searching for Jaynie Crosdale, 36, in connection with the case against Timothy Hazlett, Jr., who is accused of nine felonies for the alleged beating and sexual assault of a woman who said she was held in his basement.

Yarl, who was shot in early April, is recovering from his physical injuries. His mother says his mental recovery has been tough.

Yarl’s family has little confidence in Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson, who they say failed to act aggressively from the beginning. “The whole world is watching Kansas City to see if there’s going to be accountability and justice for this teenage kid who merely rang the doorbell.”

The Clay County Judge ruled that the case against Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old white man who shot 17-year-old Ralph Yarl, be sealed so that he receives a fair and impartial trial. Judge Louis Angles cited the harassment, media coverage and threats Andrew Lester has faced.

Law enforcement agencies must be careful when they use social media. The public depends on the information from law enforcement to stay safe in violent situations such as active shooters, mass shootings and kidnappings.

The attorney for Andrew D. Lester says the 84-year-old has been threatened, harassed and called a racist since the Black teen's shooting made national headlines, and is asking the case be sealed so Lester can have a fair trial.

A local defense attorney said it's possible Lester's defense team will say Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old who shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl on his doorstep, had a right to use deadly force to protect his property. That's because of the 'castle doctrine.'