A woman charged with helping two convicted murderers escape from prison told her husband that when she backed out of a plan to be the getaway driver the inmates threatened his life, the husband’s lawyer said.

Joyce and Lyle Mitchell worked as instructors at the Clinton Correctional Facility, where David Sweat and Richard Matt were reported missing June 6. Sweat and Matt remain at large and have been added to the U.S. Marshals Service’s 15 Most Wanted fugitives list.

Authorities have said Mitchell, who got close to the men while working with them in the prison tailor shop, discussed killing her husband.

“Joyce Mitchell tells us that was discussed between her and Matt and that upon their escape they were going to return back to Joyce Mitchell’s home at which time Matt and Sweat were going to kill her husband,” said Andrew Wylie, Clinton County district attorney.

Lyle Mitchell’s lawyer, Peter Dumas, said Thursday that his client was shocked by word of the escape plot and that his wife had discussed having the inmates kill him.

“Toward the end, Joyce had told Lyle — and we have no reason to doubt it — that she told Sweat and Matt that she wasn’t going to go through with it,” he said. “At that point, they threatened her by threatening Lyle, saying they were going to have someone on the outside do something to him or someone on the inside when he was back at work do something to him so I think it was a point of control.”

Lyle Mitchell is cooperating with authorities and isn’t facing charges.

“He’s still in love with her, but I don’t know that he is going to be very supportive,” Dumas said.