Joyce Mitchell Murder Plot: Charged For Helping Richard Matt And David Sweat Escape Prison

Joyce Mitchell was officially charged for helping convicted killers Richard Matt and David Sweat escape from prison on Monday.

Joyce Mitchell Charged For Aiding Richard Matt And David Sweat

Mitchell appeared in a New York court on Monday where she was charged with a felony count of promoting contraband and a misdemeanor count of criminal facilitation. Mitchell allegedly provided Matt and Sweat with a handful of tools, including blades, drill bits and glasses, and had an inappropriate relationship with Matt.

Michell, who worked as a supervisor in the Clinton Correctional Facility tailor shop, where both Matt and Sweat worked, was identified as having helped Matt and Sweat early on in the investigation, but her exact role remains unclear. It is believed that Mitchell was meant to act as getaway driver for Matt and Sweat, but backed out at the last minute.

“She had a moment where she realized, ‘What am I doing?’ She realized this was not something she wanted to do,” said Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie.

Joyce Mitchell Murder Plot: Escapees Planned On Killing Her Husband, Lyle Mitchell

Mitchell allegedly had inappropriate relations with Matt, though she was previously investigated for an alleged inappropriate relationship with Sweat. Moreover, sources reveal that Matt and Sweat had plotted to kill Mitchell’s husband, Lyle, who is also employed at the prison.

Investigators don’t know the details of the supposed plan to kill Lyle Mitchell, nor do they know the extent of Mitchell’s knowledge of any such plan. However, they do believe that Mitchell decided against leaving with Matt and Sweat in part because of her husband. “She did indicate one of the reasons why she didn’t show up was because she did love her husband and she didn’t want to do this to him,” Wylie said.

Mitchell told investigators that she was, indeed, supposed to pick Matt and Sweat up following their initial escape from prison, but did not know exactly where they were headed, only that their destination was seven hours away.

“They were going to meet down by the power plant, drive – I’m not going to say into the sunset, because it was after midnight and it was dark out – but they were going to drive, potentially to an area that was about seven hours away,” Wylie told reporters.

Investigators are reportedly still considering the possibility that Matt and Sweat threatened Mitchell and her husband to ensure her compliance. Meanwhile, Mitchell has entered a plea of not guilty and remains under arrest and in jail, with bond set at $220,000. If convicted, she could face up to eight years in jail.