(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.

(AP) – The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a stay of execution for Missouri death row inmate Herbert Smulls.

Justice Samuel Alito signed the order that was sent out Tuesday night after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech.

Smulls’ lawyers had made last-minute pleas Tuesday to spare his life, focusing on the state’s refusal to disclose from which compounding pharmacy they obtain the lethal-injection drug, pentobarbital. Missouri has argued the compounding pharmacy is part of the execution team – and therefore its name cannot be released to the public.

Smulls was convicted and sentenced to death for killing a St. Louis County jeweler and badly injuring his wife during a 1991 robbery.

The 56-year-old had been scheduled for lethal injection at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

(AP) — Americans are responding to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.

Seventy-year-old retired Army colonel Bill Deile of Florida says he took Obama’s promise to sidestep Congress to get things done as a “veiled threat.” Fifty-two-year-old Dean Weygandt, a union technician in Toledo, Ohio, says it’s about time Obama used executive orders for his agenda.

Mary Lynn English, who’s pursued more than 100 marketing jobs in recent years without success, says she’s not impressed with the president’s positivity. The 44-year-old from Asheville, N.C., says what the president is saying are just words, and she’ll be happier when there’s some action.

Alan McIntyre is a self-employed 43-year-old in suburban Cincinnati, who calls Obama’s speech “disgusting.”

McIntyre says he says he can’t support Obama’s plan to help lower-income Americans save for retirement by giving them guarantees they won’t lose the principal on their investments.

McIntyre says in investments, “You have to assume that risk, that’s called responsibility.”

 (AP) — Federal health experts say the pain reliever found in Aleve may be safer on the heart than other popular anti-inflammatory drugs taken by millions of Americans.

A Food and Drug Administration review posted online states that naproxen, the key ingredient in Aleve and other generic pain pills, may have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke than rival medications like ibuprofen, sold as Advil and Motrin. FDA staffers recommend relabeling naproxen to emphasize its safety.

The agency will ask a panel of experts next month to discuss the latest evidence on the pain relievers and whether naproxen should be relabeled. The agency is not required to follow the group’s advice.

If finalized, the labeling changes could reshape the market for drugs used to treat headaches, muscle pain and arthritis.

(AP) — Federal prosecutors are pressing for limits on who can see formerly classified information that has been declassified to prosecute a Wichita man accused of plotting a suicide bombing at Mid-Continent Airport.

A court filing Tuesday seeks a hearing on the government’s request for restrictions on materials provided to lawyers for 58-year-old avionics technician Terry Loewen. Prosecutors also want the case designated as “complex,” which would ease concerns about a speedy trial.

Loewen was arrested last month following an undercover operation. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted material support to al-Qaida.

Prosecutors say the defense has mistakenly asserted in opposing the requested restrictions that most of the evidence will consist of Loewen’s conversations with undercover agents.

(AP) — Kansas legislators are wrestling with whether they should attempt to limit electronic surveillance and data-mining by state and local government agencies.

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday on a bill described by sponsoring Republican Rep. Brett Hildabrand of Shawnee as an effort to curb domestic spying.

The panel took no action.

The measure would limit state and local agencies’ access to records held by a third party, such as cellphone or electronic banking data. The agency would have to obtain a warrant or get an individual’s consent to access such data.

But several law enforcement officials said the bill would hinder their ability to fight crime. Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said the measure is so broad that it would prevent Internet searches on suspects.

If you missed it, here is Tuesday night’s State of the Union address.