Press 22
by Cian Reinhardt and Bernie English
news@limerickpost.ie
JUSTICE for murdered Jason was what the Corbett family in Limerick had prayed and wished for and on Wednesday, justice is what they got. Molly Martens and her father Thomas were found guilty of the second-degree murder of Limerickman Jason Corbett when the verdict was returned by the jury on Wednesday afternoon (August 9).
Molly Martens and her father Thomas were found guilty of the second-degree murder of Limerickman Jason Corbett when the verdict was returned by the jury on Wednesday afternoon (August 9).
But the family say that while they can now begin the mourning process for a son, brother and father of two, they are not celebrating as no verdict can bring Jason back.
In a trial which lasted four weeks, members of the jury heard and saw disturbing evidence of the Limerick man’s last moments.
In the dock, accused of causing his death, stood his wife, Molly Martens (33) and her father Tom Martens (67), a former FBI officer. Both will now face up to 25 years behind bars.
The people of Limerick rallied around the Corbetts from the very moment the tragic news broke, supporting them in a candlelit vigil when the first priority was to get Jason’s two orphaned children home to Limerick.
After the verdict was returned, his sister, Tracey Lynch said, “We will fulfil our duty, to help create a good future for Jason’s children, who he loved. I can promise you that our family is going to stick up for Jason’s memory.”
It was a statement from Jack (10), read out in the North Carolina courtroom, in which he said that Molly Martens would “never be part of the Corbett family – she will always be thought of as a murderer,” which finally reduced the convicted woman to sobbing.
Jack and his little sister, Sarah (8) now live with Jason’s family in Limerick.
The jury foreman, addressing the media after the verdict said “certain pieces of evidence” helped them make the decision.
“We all saw pretty much every bit of the evidence that was available. We saw a little more up close, and some of that evidence did convince us that we had to vote the way we did,” he said.
The maximum sentence which the Martens will serve is 25 years each, making it very likely that Tom Martens will never be at liberty again.
But both could be released after serving 13-15 years, given certain conditions and programmes.
Media reports this week revealed a picture of Molly Martens as a woman with mental health issues, who made desperate efforts to contact Jason’s children after a judge had given guardianship to the Corbett family and ordered that they be returned to Ireland.
In a statement read to the court on Wednesday by Tracey Lynch, Jason’s sister, his father, John, revealed they had “reached out” to Molly after his son’s death.
“We tried desperately to contact Molly. We didn’t get one word, one call,” he said.
“It was very hard because we had to watch Molly and Thomas Martens carry on as if nothing had happened.
“I miss Jason so much”.
Earlier this week the Corbett family gathered in prayer as the jury retired to consider whether to convict the father and daughter of the Limerick man’s murder.
Heartbroken parents, John (81) and Rita(76) Corbett along with members of their extended family attended Mass in Limerick to mark the second anniversary of their son’s death.
Outside St John’s Cathedral, before the guilty verdict, Mrs Corbett said “It’s been a nightmare….we are hoping for justice”.
Across an ocean, there were dramatic scenes in the North Carolina courtroom as prosecutor, Alan Martin, summed up, demonstrating the force of a blow from a baseball bat – one of the weapons used to inflict Jason’s death – in a dramatic address to the jury.
Both denied the charges. Molly Marten’s claim was that Jason had attacked her, putting his hands around her throat and threatening to kill her while her father said that he struck his son-in-law in order to defend his only daughter.
The prosecution produced forensic evidence that the 39 year old father-of-two was on the floor, being struck from above numerous times with a baseball bat.
He was also struck with a paving brick, which the prosecution said was used by Molly Martens.
The prosecution painted a picture of Ms Martens as a murderer who wanted to divorce Jason but to keep his children as well as a half a million dollar life-insurance payout on his death. Molly Martens did not take the stand during the trial.
Speaking to Newstalk, Jason’s twin brother, Wayne Corbett said, “We are delighted this finally came to an end,” adding, “It’s not a celebration, Jason is still gone, but it’s finally that people have been found guilty. And justly so for murdering Jason, because it was a cold-blooded murder in my eyes.”
