The appeal for Alis Ben Johns has made its way to the state supreme court. Johns’ lawyer Melinda Pendergraph argued, in part, that news media reports of the massive manhunt in 1997 to find Johns when he fled authorities in the Ozarks prejudiced the jury. Supreme Court Judge Stephen Limbaugh suggests the jury was more persuaded by the fact that Johns shot Thomas Stewart seven times. Johns killed Stewart in Pulaski County in January, 1996.