The husband of prison worker Joyce Mitchell visited her behind bars Tuesday for the first time since her arrest for allegedly helping to spring two inmates from an upstate New York lockup.
But an attorney for Lyle Mitchell knocked down earlier claims that he was standing by his wife.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said lawyer Peter Dumas, adding that his client said, “There’s no way I’m standing behind her.”
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Dumas said Lyle Mitchell simply wanted to ask his wife some lingering questions — in light of reports that she may have wanted the inmates to murder her husband.
Lyle Mitchell also worked at the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, where convicted killers David Sweat and Richard Matt escaped from about 11 days ago.
Joyce Mitchell’s attorney, who had earlier said her husband was still supportive of her, dismissed the alleged plot to harm Lyle Mitchell as false.
“I don’t know much about it other than I believe it’s specious arguing — that’s about all I can tell you,” attorney Stephen Johnston told reporters.
Mitchell, a 51-year-old seamstress at Clinton, appeared in court briefly Mondayafter pleading not guilty Friday to charges that she supplied tools to help Sweat and Matt bust out of their cells.
Sources familiar with the case told NBC News that she had been investigated for a prior sexual incident with Sweat, then also fell under the romantic spell of a manipulative Matt.
Police say Mitchell was supposed to be the getaway driver for when the men broke out, but she got cold feet.
Johnston said she’s holding up as well as she can — and that she is remorseful for what’s occurred.
“As I said, she’s distraught, she’s very upset and very weepy,” he said.
This post originally appeared on NBCNews.com.
Erik Ortiz
Stephanie Gosk