With mental exam still pending, new trial date set for Andrew Lester in Clay County

A Clay County judge has set a new trial date in February for Andrew Lester, the man accused of the high-profile shooting of Ralph Yarl in Kansas City’s Northland a year and a half ago. The pending results of a mental examination that pushed off Lester’s original trial date are still pending and could upend the new date as well.

Lester’s trial was scheduled to begin Monday in Clay County Circuit Court before Judge David Chamberlain scrapped the date last month while ordering that Lester receive a mental evaluation requested by his attorney.

The trial is now scheduled to begin Feb. 18.

Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said during a brief hearing Tuesday that the evaluation, which is being conducted by the state’s Department of Mental Health, is on track to be finished by Nov. 9. Chamberlain and the attorneys in the case scheduled another hearing for Nov. 26 to check back on the matter.

Steven Salmon, Lester’s attorney, filed a mental exam with the court last month and has raised concerns over Lester’s ability to assist in his own defense , a requirement for prosecution. He said he has seen a reduction in his client’s mental acuity and has said Lester, who will turn 86 later this month, is in frail physical health.

Lester, who is white, faces one count of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of Yarl, who is Black, after the teen mistakenly went to the wrong home in Kansas City’s Northland to pick up his brothers in April 2023. After Yarl rang the doorbell, Lester allegedly went to the door and fired at Yarl, striking him twice. Lester told police he feared for his safety when he saw Yarl, who at the time of the shooting was 16.

The shooting grabbed national attention, with many raising outcry about the shooting being racially motivated.

The Star’s Robert Cronkleton contributed reporting to this story.