Marsha Scaggs has been incarcerated in Pennsylvania for nearly four decades.

Marsha began using drugs at age 14 and at age 23 was living a “fast life using heroin” when she got into a car with three others to go get high at a motel. Later, Joseph Supple, who the three associates had argued with earlier, got into the car and was killed by her co-defendant.

Marsha was convicted of felony murder.  Pennsylvania’s mandatory sentence for this charge is life without parole, also known as death by incarceration (DBI).

“Joseph was a young man that had the rest of his life ahead of him & my actions that night took him away from his family. I caused his family heartache, grief, and a huge financial burden as well as not ever being able to share birthdays, holidays, and family events with him. I brought embarrassment and shame to my family as well. I never would have believed that my selfishness and addictive behavior would have led me to destroy so many lives.”

Now 60, Marsha’s passion is helping other addicts. For the last 16 years, she has been a peer assistant in a therapeutic community helping women who struggle with addiction. As a certified recovery specialist, she chairs Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings and is an active member of the church.

Marsha has been misconduct-free for 26 years and earned her Associate’s degree in Business/Accounting. She is certified in Braille and uses her skills to emboss books, magazines, bus schedules, cards & menus. Dedicated to giving back to her community, she volunteers by raising money for Big Brothers & Big Sisters, the local fire station, and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. She also makes blankets, hats, and scarves through the Create for Kids program.

If granted an opportunity to come home, Marsha plans to use the tools and experience she’s acquired to help others recover and avoid her fate: a lifetime of incarceration.

“Joseph’s death will always be a part of my life and the only thing that I can do to move forward is honor him by living right and helping others.”