Guilty Plea in Shooting of Black Teen Who Rang the Wrong Doorbell
The New York Times
Andrew D. Lester, a Kansas City resident in his 80s, was charged with felonies in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a teen who went to the wrong address.
An octogenarian who shot and injured a teenager who rang the wrong doorbell in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty on Friday to second-degree assault, resolving the case just days before a trial was set to begin.
Andrew D. Lester, 86, had been charged in state court with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, a high school student who arrived at the wrong house — Mr. Lester’s — while trying to pick up his younger brothers.
Mr. Lester, who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, could face a range of sentences when he returns to court next month. The judge could send him to prison for up to seven years, issue a fine or both. Prosecutors said they would ask for a five-year prison term, though Mr. Lester is allowed to request a lesser sentence.
The shooting of Mr. Yarl, who is Black, by Mr. Lester, who is white, led to protests in Kansas City and a national outcry, including an invitation from former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for the teenager to visit the White House. It also raised painful questions about race in Kansas City, which has a long history of segregation. Many residents and politicians in the area said they believed that race played a role in the shooting, while the county prosecutor said early on that “there was a racial component to the case.”
Mr. Lester, who could have been sentenced to life in prison if convicted at trial on the most serious charge he faced, did not dispute shooting Mr. Yarl, who was 16 years old at the time and who is now in college. But months ago, Mr. Lester had pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer had indicated that he would claim self-defense at his trial, which was set to begin next week.
“This case centers on the reasonableness of actions taken, not the right to self-defense,” Zachary Thompson, the Clay County prosecutor, said in a statement after the plea hearing on Friday. He added that “Ralph made an innocent mistake, and the consequences — being shot twice — far exceeded any reasonable response.”
The two pilots of an Air Canada Express plane were killed and dozens of passengers and crew members were hospitalized, officials said. The airport was closed until at least 2 p.m., and hundreds of flights were canceled.
On Capitol Hill and in Nashville, comments by Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee have sown division and underscored a growing tolerance on the right for Islamophobia.
In recent years, more homes have added air-conditioning, something that may come in handy this week as some areas are expected to see temperatures 40 degrees above normal.
After speaking alongside city officials in Paterson, N.J., Leqaa Kordia, who was recently released after a year in ICE detention, led a crowd in chants of “globalize the intifada.”
After a seven-ton fireball exploded above the Cleveland area, a group of meteorite hunters descended too, in the name of science — and possibly cash.
Washington’s floods in December broke records set just four years before, but as farmers, tribes, fishermen and governments search for solutions, a quick fix, dredging, seems to stand in the way.
The show, about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, has fans flocking to restaurants and stores the couple visited during their romance.
The president has been known to disparage foes after their deaths. His response to Mr. Mueller’s death drew criticism from Republicans and Democrats.
While some Jewish students and faculty members have applauded the Trump administration’s renewed push against antisemitism, others believe the government has different motives.
The president issued a threat to deploy ICE agents in an apparent attempt to force Democrats to approve a new budget for the Department of Homeland Security.
A glassy-eyed and slurring Mr. Timberlake alternates between disbelief, annoyance and occasional humor during his 2024 arrest in Sag Harbor, N.Y.
Agronomists at Washington State University are unveiling a new apple, the Sunflare, which they say tastes as good as their Cosmic Crisp but can withstand unpredictable weather.
The war has complicated the Republican message on affordability. Democrats see an opportunity to drive their economic message while tying President Trump to an unpopular overseas conflict.