Marsh facing 63 years of probation

Brent Marsh, who was released Wednesday, June 29, after serving 12 years in state prison, will be on probation the rest of his life.

Marsh, now 43, was sentenced for improperly disposing of more than 300 bodies at TriState Crematory. He will remain on probation for 63 years since he has already served 12 years of a 75-year probation.

His probationary requirements include written apology letters to designated family representatives of those whose remains were identified. Marsh will not have access to the families’ addresses.

According to his attorney, McCracken Poston of Ringgold, Marsh fulfilled this requirement between late 2004 and early 2005.

Poston delivered the letters to the probation officer himself, he said.

Marsh often mentions in the documented apology letters, “I have not the answers (for my ac- tions) that you so greatly desire” and “Someday, I pray that you will forgive me for my failure to properly not perform my job.”

Marsh also writes in the letters he prays the families will be able to forgive him one day for the pain he’s caused them.

Those letters were required to be turned in within six months of his release, as well as to publicly apologize to the community by sending his apology to media outlets.

Marsh must pay all fines, costs, and surcharges at a rate of $1,000 per year at the direction of the probation officer.

Marsh cannot profit or benefit from the criminal case. If he does, he will be liable for restitution to the state of Georgia in the amount of $8 million.

He will receive unsupervised probation following the final payment of all fines, costs, and surcharges.

Other standard requirements include not violating any criminal laws and avoiding injurious and vicious habits including alcoholic intoxication.

He must report to his probation officer whether it’s at his home, work, or elsewhere.

He must work towards finding employment as well as support for his legal dependents to the best of his ability.

Marsh is prohibited from ever working in the crematory business again.

He is not allowed to move outside the jurisdiction or travel without permission from his probation officer.

He must provide a drug test sample at the probation officer’s request.

If requested, he agrees to be searched with or without a search warrant.

Asked if he feels Marsh would have trouble finding employment in the area, due to the ill feelings towards Marsh from some members of the community, Poston said, “If there are even half the number of Christians, who profess themselves to be Christians, he shouldn’t have a problem finding employment.”