Andrew Lester Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Assault in Fatal Misunderstanding

In April 2023, Andrew Lester, then 84 years old, shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl twice after Yarl mistakenly arrived at Lester’s Kansas City residence, thinking it was the place to pick up his siblings. The teenager, who was there without his phone and unsure of the exact location, was met with gunfire as Lester, who later stated he was “scared to death” upon seeing Yarl, fired first at his head and then at his arm.

Lester, who had originally been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action, later pleaded not guilty to those charges. However, after being found mentally capable of proceeding with the case, he changed his plea to guilty on the second-degree assault charge, leading to the dismissal of the more serious counts. His sentence could be as harsh as seven years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for March 7, at which time Yarl and his mother are expected to provide victim impact statements.

The incident, which unfolded as Yarl approached what he believed were trusted individuals’ home, has fueled national debates about race and the interpretation of self-defense. Lester, who entered the courtroom in a wheelchair, maintained that he reacted in an instant, mistakenly believing that he was protecting his home from an intruder. Meanwhile, Yarl has since graduated high school and, along with his family, urged society to re-examine prejudices that can lead to such tragedies.

After the shooting, Yarl described a desperate escape and subsequent plea for help from neighbors who eventually contacted the police. Lester’s legal defense hinged on claims of negligence and self-defense, and his home insurance company reached a $100,000 settlement with the family of the victim earlier this year. The case continues to raise ethical and legal questions about bias and the appropriate responses to perceived threats.