North Carolina's governor denied clemency yesterday for condemned killer Patrick Moody, who was scheduled to be executed early today for the 1994 shooting death of his girlfriend's husband. Gov. Mike Easley denied clemency for Moody hours after both the U.S. Supreme Court and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused a motion to stop the execution.

"Given the facts and circumstances of this case, I find no compelling reasons to invalidate the sentence recommended by the jury and affirmed by the courts," Easley said in a statement.

Moody, 39, was scheduled to be executed by injection at 2 a.m. Friday in Central Prison in Raleigh. He had argued to the courts that North Carolina's injection execution method could cause "unconstitutional pain and suffering."

About 15 people were arrested and charged with trespassing when they tried to enter the prison's grounds about 10 p.m., said Keith Acree, spokesman for the state Correction Department. Moody's federal appeals began with a U.S. District Court judge in Raleigh, who rejected the petition earlier this week.

He chose a last meal of turkey with dressing, tossed salad with blue cheese dressing, strawberry cheesecake and a soda, Acree said. Earlier, he visited his mother, brothers and sisters at Central Prison.

It was the first visit for the condemned man during which he could touch relatives. The visitation sessions ran all day with meal breaks and were held in a small room in the presence of two corrections officers. Prior visits were made with the parties separated by bars and reinforced glass. Conversations were held through a rectangle of wire mesh.