Andrew Lester's Family, Friends Skip First Court Appearance

Alone in court, Andrew Lester pleaded not guilty to a pair of felony charges on Wednesday in Missouri after allegedly shooting a black teenager who had accidentally knocked on his door, an incident that has ignited national discussions on race and questions about law enforcement in Kansas City.

Lester, 84, is accused of shooting 16-year-old Ralph Yarl in the face at point-blank range on April 13 after the teen mistook Lester's 115th Street home for an address on 115th Terrace, one street over. According to a probable cause statement filed after the shooting, Lester believed Yarl was trying to enter his house and posed a threat to him.

Following questioning by police the night of the shooting, Lester was released shortly afterward without charges after it was determined that the wounded teen's witness statement was insufficient to charge the older man. The release led to national outrage and has drawn the attention of celebrities as well as President Joe Biden's White House.

Lester turned himself in on Tuesday afternoon shortly after the Clay County District Attorney's Office announced during a Monday evening press conference it would be filing two felony charges against him. He was later released that afternoon after posting $20,000 bail, prompting outrage from social justice advocates in the community who said the move was too lenient. Lester is charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action.

Facing Clay County Circuit Judge Louis Angles for the first time on Wednesday, Lester—who was not handcuffed—had difficulty standing when called upon and walked slowly as he approached the judge. He waived his right to hear the charges before pleading not guilty. If convicted, he could serve the rest of his life in prison.

As of Wednesday morning, Lester still did not have an attorney assigned to his case, and in court he was assisted by a public attorney. There were no supporters or family members among the dozen reporters packed into the wooden benches lining the small courtroom. When addressed by the judge, Lester said very little. At one point, he mentioned he had a nephew in Virginia, but he offered few other details.

As a condition of his release, Lester will not be allowed to leave Missouri and is required to surrender all of his firearms or any "dangerous instruments" in his possession. He is also not allowed to contact members of the victim's family and is required to give up any concealed-carry permits in his possession.

Speaking to reporters after the arraignment, the Yarl family's attorney—Lee Merritt—expressed disappointment in Lester's decision to plead not guilty, calling it a sign that he had little remorse for what he'd done. He also criticized the judge's decision to not revoke Lester's bond, saying it could allow Lester to drag out the length of the case.

Based on his probable cause statement, many believe Lester likely intends to invoke his rights under Missouri's "castle doctrine" law, which allows the resident of a house to shoot in self-defense an intruder whom they believe is attempting to forcefully enter their home with the intent to cause harm.

"[Lester] stated he believed someone was attempting to break into the house, and shot twice within a few seconds of opening" the interior door, a police statement released over the weekend said.

"Lester stated that it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he was 'scared to death' due to the male's size" and his ability to in defend himself at his age, the statement added. "He believed he was protecting himself from a physical confrontation and could not take the chance of the male coming in."

However, Merritt said he believes a "castle doctrine" defense has little probability of succeeding, noting that Yarl did not attempt to enter the home or pose any threat to Lester's safety.

"He would first have to establish the 16-year-old boy he shot was a threat to his home or his property, and I don't think he'll be able to establish that," Merritt told reporters.

"In American jurisprudence, it is difficult to convict a white man for shooting a black child," he later added. "It should not be. So I hope this case turns the tide."

Lester, meanwhile, could face additional charges. At the Monday evening press conference, Clay County District Attorney Zachary Thompson said he believed that race had potentially played a role in Lester's decision to fire at Yarl. However, Merritt said that for hate crime charges to succeed at the state level, prosecutors would need to prove Lester purposefully sought out Yarl to harm him for his race, which, according to the attorney, did not occur.

While the state has declined to pursue hate crime charges, Merritt and members of Kansas City's City Council have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to review the case and consider bringing federal charges against Lester, who they say fired on Yarl without any cause or provocation beyond the color of his skin.

"Touching the door wouldn't be enough to invoke the castle doctrine," Merritt said. "When Ralph rang the doorbell, he waited quietly outside until the door was opened. It took a while because Mr. Lester was obviously retrieving his weapon. Ralph did not try to enter the house."

Merritt continued: "The issue here is [Lester] saw his blackness as a threat. That mindset is dangerous. We believe the federal statutes will allow us to prosecute Mr. Lester for a hate crime at the federal level."

The next hearing in the case, a docket reading, is scheduled for June 1.