(AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court is preparing to hear arguments in the appeal of the man convicted of killing a Wichita abortion doctor.

Multiple legal issues are before the high court in Wednesday morning’s hearing for Scott Roeder. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 50 years for the May 2009 shooting death of Dr. George Tiller of Wichita.

Tiller was among a few U.S. physicians known to perform abortions in the last weeks of pregnancy.

One issue before the court is whether jurors should have been allowed to consider a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, given Roeder’s belief that Tiller’s murder was justified to save the lives of unborn children.

Roeder was not expected to be present for Wednesday’s hearing.