Ralph Yarl

Attorneys for 85-year-old Andrew Lester filed a motion in August arguing he wasn’t fit to stand trial. The trial was set to begin October 7.

Ralph Yarl, 17, filed a civil suit in Clay County Court seeking monetary damages from Andrew “Dan” Lester, along with Lester’s homeowners’ association. The HOA failed to take precautions about a “potentially dangerous individual,” the lawsuit says.

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.

Lester, an 84-year-old white man who lives in Kansas City’s Northland, was charged with two felonies for shooting Ralph Yarl on the night of April 13, after the Black teen mistakenly arrived at the wrong address.

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.

It's been almost two months since teenager Ralph Yarl was shot in Kansas City's Northland when he accidentally arrived at the wrong house. The case sparked nationwide outrage and attention. But Yarl's family is frustrated with how a Clay County judge is handling the criminal case against accused shooter Andrew Lester.

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.

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.

The trauma of Ralph Yarl — who was shot twice by a Northland homeowner after he mistakenly rang the doorbell to the wrong house — is just the latest reminder to the Liberian families living in the Kansas City region that American racism remains a threat.

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.'