Pittsfield Township, MI—Marie Walsh enjoyed her life in San Diego decades after escaping from a Michigan prison where she was serving hard time under an unusually harsh sentence for selling drugs as a teen. Walsh lefts her past and her old habits behind as she entered a new respectable life as a mother of three. All went well until that dreaded day when someone informed on Marie and there was a visit from the US Marshall’s fugitive chasers at her upscale home. Walsh was jailed, extradited, shackled and driven on a seemingly endless ride on a prison bus back to the very place she had fled from so long ago. What greeted Walsh was a prison occupied by 90%, violent African-American low-life women who would abuse the White socialite for the next thirteen months. I’ve not talked to Walsh just yet but have heard the story so many times before about how White inmates are extorted from, beaten and vilified by the African-Americans from prison workers of both races. I know Walsh went through...

Lansing, MI -- Susan Lefevrere now known as Marie Walsh escaped from a Michigan prison more than three decades ago. She was a first time offending teenager who got a 10 to 20 year prison sentence for selling a small amount of heroin to an undercover cop. That prison term was off the charts in harshness considering she pled guilty and was expecting probation. Since her 1976 breakout Walsh turned her life around, moved to the San Diego area and raised a photogenic family with her husband. She lived in an upper-class Carmel Valley neighborhood and enjoyed the American dream. She became a solid member of the community and never looked back or reoffended. That all changed when there was a rude knock at the door on April 24, 2008. It was a deputy United States Marshall and Walsh’s blessed world came crashing down. Someone had informed on Walsh. Despite pleas from hundreds of friends and supporters Michigan officials wanted their pound of flesh from this now middle-aged woman who was no...

Detroit, MI -Wayne County Michigan Prosecutor, Kym Worthy announced that Susan Lefevrere now known as Marie Walsh will be prosecuted for her escape more than three decades ago. Walsh now faces an additional five years in prison. As a first time offending teenager and college student Walsh was arrested in Saginaw for selling a small amount of drugs. Walsh pled guilty and got an unexpected maximum sentence of 10 to 20 years behind bars. Walsh was placed in a Detroit area prison where the population was 90 % African-American and soon was the target of threats. Walsh fled with the assistance of her grandfather. Walsh married and raised a family of three children in Suburban San Diego. Walsh changed her ways and friends and never looked back, that is until a knock at her door by Deputy US Marshals. Walsh was returned to that Michigan prison as her family, neighbors, friends and total strangers rallied around her begging officials for clemency. Walsh may have had the brush with the ...

Plymouth, MI—Despite being subjected to a long and horrid trip in chains from San Diego to Plymouth on a prisoner bus this Soccer Mom can still muster a smile. Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh is seen in her latest prison mug shot. I don’t know too many women Walsh's age that can tolerate being photographed without having their hair done and without make up. Walsh is preparing to make her case that she has been punished enough for that youthful drug commerce indiscretion as a teen 33 years ago in Saginaw, Michigan. Walsh’s original sentence of 10 t0 20 years was off the charts of harshness for similar first time drug felons. So far hundreds of citizens have called Governor Granholm and or signed petitions for Walsh’s speedy release. Walsh’s husband and three children are struggling with this family disaster as best they can. Right now Walsh is getting acquainted with her lawyers as they map out plans to prove Walsh has never re-offended in the 32 years she’s been a fugitiv...

Aside from more major newspaper editorial support for Marie Walsh’s freedom, she arrived somewhat early from her 2000 mile prison bus trip last night. Walsh will be held in a quarantine setting for a while as she is processed into the general population at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Michigan. Soon Walsh will have an approved list of people she can call by telephone assuming she has money in her personal prison account. It takes time for the bureaucracy to handle these things. All of Walsh’s visitors including family members will have to undergo background investigations by prison officials before any visits can take place. My hopes are that a defense lawyer can get the original Saginaw County Court to accept a motion for re-sentencing. Should the court take jurisdiction they may well set bail and release her pending a pre-sentence investigation and further court appearances. Walsh’s former prosecutor publically said if he was the prosecutor today he’d join in...

This extraordinary case needs to run through the Michigan Parole Board and Governor’s commutation program at a record speed. I hope that the parole board sees things the way I do and so many kind people that have stepped in to help Marie Walsh. Read today’s editorial here.

Susan Lefevre is on a prisoner bus traveling to a state that felt she needed 10 to 20 years imprisonment to turn her into a productive and law-abiding citizen. Michigan was dead wrong as today the stellar wife and mother, now know as Marie Walsh has become today serves as solid evidence of their misjudgment. I’m asking along with the hundreds of the fugitive’s friends and supporters for Governor Jennifer Granholm to use her commutation power in an unprecedented way in this unparalleled case. Governor has sole commutation power to set Lefevre free under Article 5 & 14 of the Michigan Constitution. That’s despite a bureaucracy that was set up to include all ten politically appointed members of the Michigan Parole Board. Usually parole boards are expected to be clairvoyant and predict which offenders are worth the risk of parole or commutation. They investigate and take a long hard look at each case before them and they nearly always vote on the side of caution against disturbing sen...

Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh has just begun a lengthy bus trip from San Diego, California to Plymouth Michigan where she escaped over three decades ago. Michigan contracts with a private prisoner transportation vendor that provides this service as authorized under a specific federal law. The bus will be visiting jails and prisons everywhere along the way where they will load and unload their high risk passengers. I suspect that this trip is the most miserable way to travel and may take as long as two weeks. Walsh will be wearing chains on her wrists and ankles during every moment she is in the bus. For Marie Walsh this may be the loneliest and most frightening trip she’s ever taken in her life. The good news for the Walsh family is that the legal machinery will begin considering requests for a sentence reduction or commutation as that bus arrives. When Marie Walsh steps off that bus she can hold her head up high and smile because the last three decades brought her a fine fami...

Santa Barbara --Javert of course, is the fictional policeman from that great Victor Hugo Novel, Les Misérables. Javert chased the escapee, Jean Valjean across France catching him nearly a lifetime after he had reformed and became a beloved town mayor. This is an example of lightning striking twice within a couple of months. In February, a long time, trusted and well liked University of California Santa Barbara employee, Jason Von Straussenburg , a Developmental Technician in the Biological Sciences Department was nabbed after an anonymous tipster told authorities he was really a Michigan escaped convict. The tipster was correct in fingering Roger Crona who broke out of another Michigan prison in 1972. Carona was twice sent to prison for auto theft related offenses. Decades have gone by and Crona found the good life in this beautiful coastal town. He put his larcenous ways behind him and at 61 years of age he could soon reasonably expect retirement and a nice pension. Now Crona is w...

Marie Walsh with her husband and three children. Click on picture to enlarge. Susan Lefevre is the San Diego woman recaptured after her escape in 1976 from a Michigan prison where she was serving a 10 to 20 year term. Lefevre is now known as Marie Walsh. I call Marie Walsh the modern day female, Jean Valjean from the great Victor Hugo Novel, Les Misérables. There is little precedent for this highly unusual case of sin, punishment, escape and redemption in our criminal justice system. This case involves the following facts: 1. Walsh was a 19 year-old first time offender. 2. Walsh received an unusually harsh sentence for her drug conviction. 3. Walsh escaped and was at large for over 32 years. 4. Walsh has never reoffended in over three decades. 5. Walsh has led the rest of her admirable life with her husband and three children. 6. Walsh was never involved in theft of violence. 7. Walsh is obviously no threat to public safety. 8. Walsh suffered over a year in prison and many years livi...

Undated photo of Marie Walsh and her husband, Alan Walsh with their two daughters. After leading a law-abiding and productive life 32 years since her escape from a Michigan prison, Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh is still quick to flash a bright smile. At first I could not understand how anyone could withstand being ripped from their home and loving family and not sink into a sewer of despair at the thought of resuming a 10 to 20 year prison stretch. Imagine how a wife of 23 years could handle being forced by jailers to remove her wedding ring before they apply the foul delousing spray jails commonly use on all new inmates? Walsh has been captured, put in irons and prison garb and still has an air of amazing style. She seems to be able to turn a handcuff on her wrist into an elegant, diamond tennis bracelet. For Walsh, her running is finally over. Walsh is also obviously proud of the life she made for herself, her family and friends. Above all Walsh beat the odds for prison con...

This time the character Jean Valjean from Hugo’s great tear-jerker novel, Les Misérables, turns out to be a woman! Susan Leferve now known as Marie Walsh is the escaped convict that fled in 1976 from a severe 10 to 20 year prison term. She has turned her life around and lived the American dream with her husband and three children as a lawful and productive member of society. Javert the policeman, chased Valjean for his entire career all over France. The Michigan Department of Corrections has their own Javert aided by the US Marshall's service. Unfortunately, a 1832 national insurrection pre-dating the French Revolution brought death to most of the compelling characters in Les Misérables. If every offender in this country could follow Leferve’s lead by escaping and to never reoffend we’d be living in a true Utopia. We want our criminals to change their ways but it’s a very rare day when that happens. Some say it’s a terrible example to wipe LeFerve’s slate clean just because the fu...

Please Call or write Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm For a stupid teenage indiscretion in illegal drug commerce in 1975, Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh was sent to prison in Michigan. She accepted responsibility and got a draconian 10 to 20 year sentence. Lefevre turned her life around and is a wife and mother of three fortunate children today. She’s avoided drugs, crime and the lifestyle that led to her going to prison. She did what less than ten percent of ex-convicts can do. She was never arrested for another offense. Lefevre felt threatened in prison and found a way to escape with the help of her grandfather in 1976. LeFevre spent the next three decades keeping a terrible secret fearing every knock at the door. That knock came last Thursday and she is on her way back to Hell. I’ve investigated this woman and firmly believe she should be forgiven and have her sentence commuted at once. I can’t imagine the horror her family is going trough right now. Here is the who...

SAN DIEGO – Susan Lefevre was a teen who made some bad choices and found herself sent to prison for a 10 to 20 year term for drug dealing by a Saginaw county court after she pled guilty in 1975. Soon Lefevre’s grandfather helped her break out of the what's mow called the Robert Scott Correctional Facility located in Plymouth and she’s been on the lam ever since. Lefevre fled to California and It’s abundantly clear she learned the lesson her lifestyle brought her. Lefevre changed her ways and chose the life of a clean living, suburban San Diego housewife, and soccer mom. According to a US Marshall’s spokesman the fugitive changed her name to Marie Walsh and evaded capture until late last week. Someone ratted out the 53 year-old absconder to the Michigan Department of Corrections. That led to her capture. Lefevre’s husband and three children were unaware of her secret. Punishment was administered but was interrupted for over three decades. Carrying around the secret and looking o...