Controversy Surrounds Ralph Yarl Shooting Case as Homeowner Pleads Not Guilty

Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old man who shot Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who mistakenly went to his door, pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault. Yarl was shot in the head and arm but miraculously survived. The case has renewed national debates about gun policies and race in America. Some civil rights leaders and Yarl’s family attorney have urged the Department of Justice to investigate the shooting and for prosecutors to charge Lester with a hate crime. Legal experts expect Lester to claim self-defense and cite Missouri’s “Stand Your Ground” law.