Murder victim Jason Corbett
By Irish Echo Staff
Jurors in the North Carolina murder trial arising from the death of Limerick native Jason Corbett have returned a guilty verdict.
Molly Martens Corbett (33) and her father Thomas Martens (67) were charged with second-degree murder in connection with an incident in the early hours of August 2, 2015, when Jason Corbett (39) was found beaten to death inside his home in North Carolina.
Father and daughter had both pleaded not guilty at Davidson County Superior Court in Lexington, North Carolina, to murder, claiming self-defense and the defense of another.
A voluntary manslaughter charge was included as a lesser charge for the jury to consider but the panel instead opted for murder in the second degree.
During the trial the jury was shown the baseball bat and blood-stained garden paving brick used to inflict fatal head injuries on the Limerick father-of-two.
Father and daughter denied the second degree murder charges against them.
Mr. Corbett died at the home he shared with Ms. Martens Corbett, his second wife, at Panther Creek between Lexington and Winston-Salem.
Mr. Corbett died from at least 12 severe blows to the head which had shattered his skull.
Judge David Lee and a jury of nine women and three men heard evidence in the trial which has included Davidson County crime scene examiner, Lt. Frank Young, showing the baseball bat and garden paving brick to the jury.
Corbett’s blood was found on the floor, walls, bed, bedclothes, bathroom and even utility equipment in the home.
Both the father and daughter argued self-defense and claimed that Mr. Corbett had attacked his wife and threatened to kill her.
Their contention was that Mr. Martens had struck Mr. Corbett to defend himself and his daughter.
However, according to reports, both accused were found by Davidson County police and paramedics to be uninjured at the scene with no bruises, cuts, abrasions or visible wounds.
And pathologist Dr. Craig Nelson testified that at least one of the major blows suffered by Mr. Corbett was post mortem.
