Molly Martens and her father Thomas Martens found guilty of second-degree murder, judge hands down 20- to 25-year sentences – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Molly Martens and her father Thomas Martens found guilty of second-degree murder, judge hands down 20- to 25-year sentences




Pic: RTE News

Molly Martens and his father Thomas Martens, the pair accused of killing Limerick man Jason Corbett, have been found guilty of second-degree murder at the end of their trial.

The nine women and three men jury reached an unanimous verdict after deliberating for three hours and twenty minutes.

Molly and Thomas Martens stood accused of killing 39-year-old John Corbett at the house he shared with his second wife, Ms. Martens, on August 2, 2015. The pair used a baseball bat and a garden brick to bludgeon Mr. Corbett to death on the date.

Thomas Martens -Mr. Corbett’s father-in-law- claimed that the violent actions were in ‘self-defence’, after he found Mr. Corbett with his hands around Ms. Marten’s neck. According to Mr. Martens, a former FBI agent, a violent struggle ensued, and he used the bat to hit the Irish man up to 12 times.

Mr. Corbett’s head wounds were so severe that the pathologist found his skull fractured in a number of places. According to the forensic report, some of the strikes were inflicted after Mr. Corbett was already down on the floor, dead or dying.

The pair have now been accused of second-degree murder (that is, killing without premeditation). A judge handed down sentences of 20 to 25 years in prison each.

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