Prosecutor in Ralph Yarl case says legal precedent favors keeping court records open

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri prosecutor is asking a judge to carefully consider the public’s right to information while determining whether to seal court records in the case of Andrew Lester, a white homeowner accused of shooting a Black teenager who mistakenly came to his door. Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said in a motion filed Tuesday that legal precedent has established a “strong presumption” in favor of keeping court records open. Thompson was responding to a motion filed May 1 by Lester’s attorney asking a judge to seal the case. Attorney Steven Salmon argued national and international publicity in the shooting of Ralph Yarl created a bias against Lester.