The family of Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who was shot by a white homeowner in Kansas City, Missouri, has filed a lawsuit seeking justice for their son. The lawsuit, filed by Cleo Nagbe on behalf of her son, alleges that Andrew Lester was negligent when he shot Yarl without warning over a year ago. Yarl suffered permanent injuries and endured pain and suffering as a direct result of Lester’s actions.
The civil suit, according to Lee Merritt, the family’s attorney, aims to give the family a chance to be actively involved in pursuing justice for Ralph as the criminal trial against Lester unfolds. Lester had pleaded not guilty in September 2023, and the trial is scheduled to begin on October 7, 2024.
Steve Salmon, Lester’s attorney in the criminal case, stated that he is evaluating the civil complaint and will discuss it with his client. Salmon previously argued in a preliminary hearing that Lester was acting in self-defense, as he was terrified by the stranger who knocked on his door while he was settling into bed for the night.
Merritt explained that the civil suit is based on Lester’s own statements. If Lester claims that he mistakenly thought Yarl was a robber, Merritt argues that it constitutes negligence on Lester’s part, as he should have been more attentive. Merritt stated, “Everybody who rings your doorbell can’t be a robber.”
During the hearing, Yarl testified that he mistakenly went to the wrong address to pick up his siblings. He rang the doorbell and reached for the storm door as Lester opened the inner door. Lester warned him not to come back, and Yarl was shot in the head, knocking him to the ground, before being shot in the arm.
The shooting incident gained international attention and sparked national debates about gun policies and race in America. In a statement, Nagbe expressed how the shooting shattered their family and exposed a critical gap in society, where the safety of children is jeopardized by reckless actions.
The lawsuit also includes the homeowner’s association, Highland Acres Homes Association, Inc., as a defendant. The association has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Merritt acknowledged that the litigation might be delayed pending the outcome of the criminal case. However, he emphasized that the family wanted to initiate the process and cited state law that grants the victim access to the criminal case records, which has not yet been fulfilled due to a gag order sought by the prosecutor.
