Jason’s killers lodge papers in bid to overturn convictions
The killers of Limerick man Jason Corbett have submitted documents to an appeals court in the hope of overturning their conviction for second-degree murder.
Molly Martens, 34, and her father Thomas Martens, 68, a retired FBI agent, filed their appellate briefs to the North Carolina Court of Appeals yesterday. An appellate case cannot hear new evidence but can investigate if errors were made in the original trial.
The two were jailed just over a year ago and sentenced to 20-25 years for the murder Mr Corbett, 39, a father of two, found beaten to death in the bedroom of his North Carolina home on August 2, 2015. He had been smashed in the head with a brick and a metal baseball bat.
According to US news reports, Mr Martens’ counsel raised several issues including testimony from a blood splatter expert, statements from Mr Corbett’s children and a motion alleging jury misconduct.
The brief also claims the trial should have been allowed to hear a statement from Mr Corbett’s former father-in-law Mikey Fitzpatrick, in which he’s alleged to have told Mr Martens that he believed the Irishman killed his daughter Margaret. Mr Fitzpatrick has since passed away.
Molly and her father claim Mr Corbett was choking his wife in their bedroom and threatened to kill her when Mr Martens hit him over the head with a baseball bat.
The briefs come a month after four years were added to Molly Martens’ sentence due to infractions while in prison. She now has a release date of April 2041.
A final decision by the Court of Appeals may take up to a year.
