Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old white man who shot Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager in Kansas City, pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Wednesday.
Yarl was shot at point-blank range in the head butthe bullet. Only about 10% to 15% of people who are shot in the head survive, said Dr. Christopher Kang, the president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Yarl’s relatives were not at Wednesday's hearing because they are emotionally exhausted, Merritt said. Lester’s attorney, Steve Salmon, did not come out of the courthouse to speak with reporters.“He says, 'I don’t know why everyone’s making a big deal out of me,”" Merritt said. “You know, it’s it’s just me, right? It’s not like the president was shot.”
Yarl, who is all-state band member as well as a top student, mistakenly went to 115th Street — a block away from where he meant to be. When he rang the bell, Lester came to the door and used a .32 caliber Smith and Wesson 1888 revolver to shoot the teenager. Legal experts expect Lester to claim self-defense and cite Missouri's “Stand Your Ground” law. The state is one of about 30 with statues that say people don’t have to retreat when threatened but instead can respond with physical force.
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Homeowner who shot Black teen Ralph Yarl pleads not guiltyAndrew Lester, the 84-year-old white man who shot Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager in Kansas City, pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Wednesday
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Homeowner who shot Black teen Ralph Yarl pleads not guiltyAndrew Lester, the 84-year-old white man who shot Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager in Kansas City, pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Wednesday.
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Homeowner accused of shooting Black teen Ralph Yarl pleads not guiltyAndrew Lester pleaded not guilty in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who mistakenly knocked on Lester’s front door looking for his younger brothers.
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Homeowner who shot Black teen Ralph Yarl pleads not guiltyThe 84-year old man who shot Ralph Yarl when the Black teenager went to his door by mistake pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a case that has shocked the country and renewed national debates about gun policies and race in America.
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