Speaking in St. Louis on Thursday Missouri Governorwould not elaborate on the reasons why he .
Clay was sentenced to death for the 1994 murder-for-hire of Randy Martindale.
Nixon says he still supports the death penalty and pointed to dozens of capital punishment cases he participated in during his 16 years as attorney general. However, his decision to commute Clay鈥檚 sentence on Monday involved a variety of "other considerations."
鈥淭his is just one that when you combine all of those together I just felt, and continue to feel, the best decision was not to use the ultimate penalty, but still a very serious penalty, life without the possibility of probation or parole, 鈥� explained Nixon.
Clay鈥檚 lawyers maintain that another man had a greater motive to murder Martindale.
Nixon would not comment on the , who is scheduled to be executed next month.