The sentence hearing for the manslaughter of Jason Corbett has heard details of social worker interviews following his death, in which Molly Martens described her marriage as abusive.
Molly and Tom Martens have admitted killing the 39-year-old Limerick native at his home in North Carolina in August 2015.
The father and daughter claim they were acting in self-defence and were afraid Mr Corbett was going to kill Molly.
Friends of Ms Martens also told the court Mr Corbett tried to control her and was jealous of her being noticed by other men.
Prosecutors, however, sought to question the credibility of Ms Martens, The Irish Times reports. They pointed to untrue statements she had made, including that she was actually the birth mother of Jason Corbett’s two children from his first marriage.
On Friday, Billie June Jacob told the court Ms Martens had told her that her husband was "physically, mentally and emotionally abusive towards her".
“I was scared for her,” Ms Jacob said. “I knew sooner or later somebody was going to get hurt. It was going to come to boiling point eventually.”
Earlier this week, Molly Martens Corbett did not contest a charge of voluntary manslaughter in relation to the death of her husband Jason Corbett in August 2015. Her father, Thomas Martens, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Jason Corbett, from Limerick, was found dead in his Davidson County home in the early hours of August 2nd, 2015.
The court is holding a hearing to determine the sentences they will receive.
