The Missouri man who admitted shooting an unarmed Black teenager who mistakenly rang his doorbell while looking to pick up his siblings from a playdate has died just a week after entering a guilty plea.
Andrew Lester, 86, was initially charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action in the April 2023 incident. He shot then-16-year-old Ralph Yarl twice through a glass door. Yarl, who was critically injured with gunshots to the head and arm, survived the shooting.
Last week, Lester was allowed to plead guilty to second degree assault, which carries a maximum seven year sentence. Prosecutors said they would only seek five years at his sentencing next month. He entered his guilty plea on Friday, Feb. 14 and his sentencing was scheduled for March 7.
"While the legal proceedings have now concluded, we acknowledge that Mr. Lester did take responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty in this case," Clay County prosecutors said in a statement. "Our thoughts remain with both families affected by this tragic incident as they continue their healing process."Yarl's family, however, was not as forgiving, saying in a statement that Lester's death "brings a mix of emotions, but it does not bring justice.".
"For nearly two years, Andrew Lester never apologized," the family stateyment said. "Instead, he and his attorney used every legal maneuver possible to delay accountability. Now, another Black child harmed by prejudice will never see the man who shot him face the full weight of the justice system. While Lester finally admitted guilt, it came at the very last moment—after two years of stalling. That delay leaves our family reeling."
Prosecutors did not provide information about how Lester died. However, they said Lester was not in custody at the time of his death. If he did not enter his plea, his trial would've been set for Tuesday, Feb. 18.
