Judge rules that jurors in assault trial will not be excluded from the outside world

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) – The jury finally impaneled to try the case against Andrew Lester will not be locked out, as requested by his defense attorney.

A Clay County judge announced the sentence during a hearing for Lester on Thursday.

Sealing the jury would have meant that jurors would be isolated from the case after they were selected.

Lester's lawyers argued that excluding jurors from the trial as soon as they were selected, rather than just when they were sworn in, could help avoid a mistrial.

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Lester is charged with first-degree assault in connection with the April 2023 shooting death of Ralph Yarl. He was accused of shooting Yarl when the Northland teenager knocked on the wrong door to pick up his brothers.

Lester has pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on October 7.

The Yarl family also filed a civil lawsuit against Lester. That lawsuit is still pending.

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