Andrew Carey
andrew@limerickpost.ie
MOLLY Martens and her father have pleaded NOT guilty this Wednesday to the charges of second degree murder and the voluntary manslaughter of Limerickman Jason Corbett at his North Carolina home last August.
The 32-year-old second wife of Jason, together with her father, Thomas Martens (65) – a former FBI agent – were charged last month following their arrest. Both were released on a $200,000 bail bond.
Jason, a 39-year-old father of two was bludgeon to death at his home in Wallburg, North Carolina, on August 2 last year.
Post mortem reports revealed that Jason died from head injuries allegedly suffered when he was struck with a baseball bat and paving stone following what authorities described at that time as a domestic disturbance.
US reports said that Davidson County Assistant District Attorney Greg Brown requested Superior Court Judge Mark E Klass to issue a court order to obtain copies of Mr Martens’ personnel file from the FBI.
The US court was told that both prosecutors and the defence tried unsuccessfully to get the records.
Judge Klass granted the order, which obliges the FBI to disclose the file.
Walter Holton, Ms Martens Corbett’s lawyer, also made an application to for certain records to be released from the Department of Social Services in Davidson and Union counties.
It has been revealed that more that 5,000 pages of prosecutors’ evidence has been disclosed to the defence teams.
Defence lawyers said that both Molly Martens and her father are adhering to the bond requirement not to contact members of Jason Corbett’s family, including his children, Jack and Sarah.
The accused pair are back before the court again on April 4 next.
After Jason’s death, Molly Martens initiated custody proceedings for the two Corbett children and a bitter legal battle ensued before the US courts recognised Jason’s will stating that Tracey Lynch was to be appointed guardian to the children should anything happen to him.
Tragically, Jason’s first wife Mags, mother to Jack and Sarah, died in 2006 of an asthma attack.
