Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that District Court Judge Lawrence Piersol denied the motion filed by Donna Nichols to stay the execution of 60-year-old Moeller. Moeller was convicted for the 1990 kidnapping, rape and murder of 9-year-old Becky O'Connell. He recently asked a federal judge to dismiss his appeals and let him die. His execution is scheduled for next week.

     Nichols, whose mother married Moeller's stepfather, says Moeller wasn't psychologically qualified to dismiss his appeals. But Piersol found the motion to be without merit and dismissed it. Jackley says a notice of appeal has been filed with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Associated Press