Andrew Lester, the Kansas City man charged in the April 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl after the teenager mistakenly went to the wrong house, is fit to stand trial in February 2025, a judge said on Tuesday, according to Kansas City ABC affiliate KMBC.
The ruling came after the judge reviewed the findings of Lester’s mental exam, which he ordered last month after Lester’s attorney argued that the 86-year-old’s mental and physical capacity have diminished.
ABC News reached out to Lester’s attorney Steven Salmon for comment.
In October, a Clay County judge rescheduled Lester’s trial, which was initially set for Oct. 7, to begin on Feb. 18, 2025, pending the results of the mental evaluation.
That exam was ordered by the judge after Salmon filed a motion requesting it, according to court documents obtained by ABC News.
In the motion, Salmon claimed that Lester is facing health conditions that could impair his ability to understand legal proceedings or assist in his defense at trial.