An 86-year-old Kansas man pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree assault in the 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black honor student who mistakenly rang his doorbell while trying to pick up his younger siblings.
Andrew Lester had initially faced charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action, which could have resulted in a 15 to 30-year prison sentence. As part of a plea deal, he instead admitted to the lesser charge, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years, CNN reported. Lester is set to be sentenced on March 7.
The case drew national attention and reignited debates on race and gun violence in the U.S. Prosecutors say Lester shot Yarl twice—first in the head, then in the arm—after the 16-year-old mistakenly arrived at his house on April 13, 2023.
Yarl, who survived the attack and has since graduated from high school, testified that he waited at the door after ringing the bell, assuming he had arrived at the right house. When Lester opened the door, Yarl said he was shot without warning and told, "Don't come here ever again."
Lester's attorney, Steve Salmon, argued that his client acted in self-defense, claiming the elderly man was terrified when a stranger knocked on his door at night. However, authorities found no evidence that Yarl was a threat.
Lester, a retired aircraft mechanic, has suffered from declining health, including heart issues, a broken hip and severe weight loss, which his attorney attributed to stress from media attention and death threats.
Yarl's family has since filed a lawsuit against Lester, citing the emotional and physical toll of the shooting.
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