Joe Louis Stewart was convicted in 2018 on two counts of aggravated indecent liberties against a girl who was allegedly nine years old during an incident in 2016. Stewart received a Hard 25 sentence with no chance of parole. A count of aggravated sodomy was dropped during trial.

Stewart has appealed to the Kansas Court of Appeals and requested a petition review by the Kansas Supreme Court. Both have been denied.

Stewart's current appeal involves assertions of ineffective legal counsel, improper jury instructions and prosecutorial misconduct. The hearing is at 9 am.