Calls for Bail Reform After Release of Ralph Yarl Shooting Suspect

The release of Andrew Lester, an 84-year-old white man charged with shooting a Black teenager, has prompted calls for bail reform in Missouri. Lester was able to pay $20,000 and be released within the same afternoon, while the vast majority of people in jail in Clay County are there awaiting trial. Advocates argue that cash bail upholds racism and white supremacy, criminalizes being poor, and inflates jail populations. Critics want to see changes to Missouri's cash-bail system, including the elimination of cash bail and a shift towards risk-based assessments. Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bonds in 2022.