Ralph Yarl: Man accused of shooting teen on doorstep pleads not guilty

A Kansas City man accused of shooting a teenager on his doorstep has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and armed criminal action.

Andrew Lester, 84, allegedly shot Ralph Yarl twice after the black teen knocked on the door of the wrong home while trying to pick up his younger brothers.

Mr Lester does not deny that he opened fire, but his lawyers say that he thought the boy, 16, was a threat.

If convicted, Mr Lester may spend the rest of his life in prison.

Ralph Yarl told authorities he had driven to Northeast 115 Street instead of nearby Northeast 115th Terrace. He is recovering from his injuries, his family says, and doctors have expressed shock that he survived.

There was a quiet hush as Mr Lester slowly entered the Clay County Courthouse on Wednesday with the aid of sheriff's deputies and a cane.

Appearing downcast, he occasionally closed his eyes as the clock ticked closer to the hearing. At times he appeared to be confused, but otherwise answered the judge's questions clearly.

Mr Lester was allowed to remain free on bail pending trial, but was ordered to have his mobile phone monitored and surrender his passport. He was also banned from accessing guns or going near the Yarl family.

His next court date is in June.

A prosecutor earlier said there was a racial component to the crime - which the Yarl family also believes - but Mr Lester hasn't been charged with a hate crime.

Prosecutors said the boy "did not cross the threshold" of Mr Lester's home.

Meanwhile, a fundraiser for Ralph Yarl has topped $3.2m (£2.5m). The GoFundMe page, started by his aunt, says the donations will go towards his medical bills and therapy.

Any further funds will cover his education at Texas A&M University, and a long-awaited trip to West Africa.

A lawyer for the Yarl family is calling for a federal review of the case.

Police initially detained Mr Lester for questioning and released him without charges, sparking protests in Kansas City.

Mr Lester turned himself in to police on Tuesday, and was released after posting 10% of a total $200,000 bail amount. He said in court on Wednesday that he had moved out of his home, which has been the target of vandalism since the shooting.

Lee Merritt, a lawyer for the Yarl family, told the BBC that the boy was suffering from speech problems and had a long road to recovery.

"I think he's an amazing kid," said Mr Merritt, adding that the boy was surprised by all the attention the case had been getting.

"It's a big deal because the community is tired of their children being victimised and Ralph will make the change," Mr Merritt said.