Yarl shooting may revive ‘stand your ground’ debate: Explaining the laws
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A White man in Kansas City is accused of shooting a Black teenager who mistakenly rang his doorbell, renewing attention to Missouri’s self-defense laws.
The man, Andrew Lester, 84, has said he shot Ralph Yarl, 16, because he feared for his safety. Yarl’s family, meanwhile, says the teenager was trying to pick up his younger siblings on April 13 and went to the wrong house by mistake. After ringing the bell, they say, Yarl was shot twice and struck in his arm and head; he was hospitalized and is now recovering at home.
It is unclear what defense Lester might mount in the case. Self-defense laws known as “stand your ground” statutes are part of many states’ legal frameworks, and these measures have increasingly played a prominent role in the country’s gun debates. Here is what you need to know.
What are ‘stand your ground’ laws?
These laws essentially allow someone to use deadly force to protect themselves without having any duty to retreat.
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