KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Clay County judge set aside an October trial date for Andrew Lester, the man accused of the high-profile shooting of Ralph Yarl, on Monday and ordered that Lester receive a mental evaluation.

Lester, 85, appeared in a brief hearing in Clay County Circuit Court Monday morning as Judge David Chamberlain canceled an Oct. 7 trial date and set a hearing for Oct. 8 to check in on the status of an exam that will be conducted by the state’s Department of Mental Health. The moves came after Steven Salmon, Lester’s attorney, raised concerns about his client’s mental state.

Salmon filed a mental exam and an affidavit with the court Friday, repeating concerns he raised last month and saying it was clear to him that Lester lacked the ability to assist in his own defense, a requirement for prosecution. Salmon said he felt proceeding without an examination would be an ethical issue for him and would be a violation of Lester’s due process rights.

In the filing last week, he wrote that Lester was in frail physical health and that he had seen a “marked reduction” in his client’s mental acuity, noting that during trial preparation, Lester had shown “significant difficulties” in his interactions with his attorney. Salmon wrote that only two people were present at the time of the shooting and said Lester’s testimony and recall ability were necessary.

“For example, Defendant has manifest memory issues relating to pertinent case facts, which formerly were not a problem,” Salmon wrote. “Defendant fails to maintain focus on the discussion and preparation and begins to focus on other issues, as well as the past.”

In a response filed Saturday, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson wrote that he did not object to a mental examination conducted by the Department of Mental Health “due to a compelling interest in the finality of judgment in the case and the integrity of the criminal court process.”

Lester, who is white, faces one count of first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of Yarl, who is Black, after the teen mistakenly went to the wrong home to pick up his brothers in April 2023. After Yarl rang the doorbell, Lester allegedly went to the door and fired at Yarl, striking him twice. Lester told police he feared for his safety when he saw Yarl, who at the time of the shooting was 16.

The shooting grabbed widespread attention, with many raising outcry about the shooting being racially motivated.

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(The Star’s Robert Cronkleton contributed reporting to this story.)

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