Woman fights for her brother's honor after brutal N.C. murder

3 hours ago 2

Produced by Susan Mallie and Jennifer Terker

[This communicative antecedently aired connected August 17, 2019. It was updated connected February 22, 2020.]

The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled earlier this period connected whether a begetter and girl convicted of second-degree execution should get a caller trial.

In August 2015, erstwhile FBI cause Tom Martens and his girl Molly Corbett admitted sidesplitting her Irish-born hubby Jason Corbett, insisting they bushed him successful self-defense with a ceramic paver and a shot bat due to the fact that Jason was choking Molly and threatening to termination her.

Prosecutors said Corbett's decease was murder.

Now, Tracey Lynch is trying to acceptable the grounds consecutive connected her slain brother.

"They claimed it was self-defense," Lynch tells "48 Hours" analogous Maureen Maher successful her archetypal American TV interview.

"The Martens didn't conscionable execution Jason," Lynch says. "They tried to destruct his character."

"Jason was an astonishing quality being," Lynch says.

Jason Corbett was a 30-year-old begetter of 2 successful Ireland, who abruptly recovered himself a widower erstwhile his archetypal woman died of an asthma attack. He past decided helium needed assistance with the children and hired Molly Martens, primitively from Knoxville, Tenn. Soon, their narration turned romantic, and they were married. Shortly after, they moved to the United States.

That's wherever the communicative turns starring up to the fateful nighttime of August 2, 2015.

Tom Martens told a 911 dispatcher that his son-in-law got into combat with his girl and helium had to intervene. "He's bleeding each over, and I, I whitethorn person killed him," helium said.

Molly besides told constabulary that Jason, past 39, was "screaming 'I'm going to termination you.'"

"I MAY HAVE KILLED HIM"

911 DISPATCHER: Davidson County 911…

TOM MARTENS: My lad successful law, uh, got successful a combat with my daughter. I intervened and he's successful atrocious shape. We request help.

911 DISPATCHER: OK. What bash you mean he's successful atrocious shape? He's hurt?

TOM MARTENS: He's bleeding each implicit and I - I whitethorn person killed him.

TOM MARTENS: He's covered successful blood

911 DISPATCHER: Alright, perceive carefully. I'll archer you however to bash thorax compressions. I'll acceptable a gait for you. … One, two, three, four.

The telephone came successful the aboriginal greeting hours of Aug. 2, 2015.

MOLLY CORBETT TO 911 [crying]: I — I'm certified. I conscionable c — can't think.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, you person to enactment calm. Let your grooming instrumentality over. We need — we request to effort to bash this to assistance him, OK?

MOLLY CORBETT: OK.

"I whitethorn person killed him" erstwhile FBI cause tells 911 aft onslaught connected son-in-law 01:53

Police arrived astatine the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, location to find Jason Corbett beaten to decease and his humor connected his woman Molly. They knew who did it: Molly and her begetter Tom Martens. The question was why?

TOM MARTENS [police interview]: He's got Molly by the pharynx similar this.

Just hours later, Tom Martens, a 30-year FBI veteran, explains that helium had been spending the nighttime astatine his daughter's home. After being awakened by a commotion upstairs, helium says helium grabbed an aluminum Little League shot bat helium brought arsenic a acquisition for the kids – and ran to her room.

TOM MARTENS [police interview]: He sees maine coming and helium goes astir her pharynx similar this [demonstrates a choke hold]. And I said, "Let her go." He turned and like, you cognize … "Let her go. I'm gonna termination her."

Martens says his protective instincts arsenic a begetter instantly kicked in:

TOM MARTENS [police interview]: I deed him with the shot bat.

TOM MARTENS [police interview]: He reaches retired and helium grabs the bat and he's stronger than I am, and helium pushes maine down and I was scrambling connected the floor. My glasses autumn off. Now I'm thinking, "he's gonna termination me."

Molly Corbett told Davidson County Sheriff's investigators the aforesaid story:

MOLLY CORBETT [police interview]: He tried to deed my dad, I think, but helium mightiness person missed. And I, um, I deed him connected the head.

She deed Jason with a paving chromatic that was sitting connected her nightstand:

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: You person a ceramic connected your nightstand?

MOLLY CORBETT: Yeah.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: What was that — what was that for?

MOLLY CORBETT: Um, the kids and I — we were going to overgarment — overgarment these bricks and flowers astir the mailbox.

TOM MARTENS [police interview]: I get the bat back. … I can't archer you however galore times I deed him. … I can't archer you that. I mean, it was battle.

In Ireland, Jason's sister Tracy Lynch inactive cannot comprehend that helium died this way.

Tracey Lynch: I conscionable couldn't process it. It was — you know, helium was my champion friend. … We were conscionable 2 of the closest radical successful the satellite to each different extracurricular my hubby and children.

Lynch and Jason were portion of a large Irish household successful Limerick. She remembers her member arsenic a benignant and caring soul.

Tracey Lynch: We would conscionable walk summers successful Spanish Point successful County Clare … bent out, fish. Just kinda mean accepted Irish upbringing, really.

Jason was Wayne Corbett's twin.

Wayne Corbett: We looked similar each different but we were antithetic successful truthful galore ways.

Maureen Maher: Would helium person been the quiescent one?

Wayne Corbett: No, no, no. Jason wouldn't person been quiet. You would perceive him earlier you spot him.

Jason joined his archetypal wife, Mags Fitzpatrick, erstwhile helium was 27. They had 2 children, Jack and Sarah.

Tracey Lynch: They were conscionable truthful blessed and truthful excited with beingness and truthful enthusiastic astir it arsenic well. And — and they had Sarah, and you know, I retrieve them sayin' that they had, that their household was complete. They had their small prince and princess.

But successful 2006, soon aft having their 2nd child, Jason's storybook beingness came to an abrupt end, erstwhile Mags, a longtime asthmatic, abruptly had an attack.

Tracey Lynch: Mags woke Jason to accidental that she was feeling wheezy. And helium sat her up. She started to instrumentality her nebulizer. And she started to get progressively worse. … We recovered retired later, they called him successful and told him that she had died successful the ambulance connected the mode to the hospital.

Maureen Maher: And however aged was he?

Tracey Lynch: He was 30.

Maureen Maher: So, 30 years aged with a 2-year-old son.

Tracey Lynch: Yeah, and a 12-week-old daughter.

With 2 precise tiny children inactive astatine home, Jason Corbett had nary prime but to prime up the pieces and determination connected aft Mags died. A year-and-a-half later, 25-year-old Molly Martens answered an advertisement for an au pair. She arrived successful Limerick successful March 2008.

Lynn Shanahan: I met Molly the time she arrived successful the airdrome successful Shannon.

Lynn Shanahan is Jason's longtime friend.

Maureen Maher: And what was your content of her erstwhile you met her?

Lynn Shanahan: My archetypal thoughts and the archetypal condemnation to my ain hubby were, "This is not what Jason needs close now."

Maureen Maher: Why?

Lynn Shanahan: The infinitesimal I saw her with the large bouncing curls, she was successful her 20s. She had a large agleam colour coat, fur collar, cowboy boots, was dressed and make-up done similar a pageant queen arsenic we would person said. She conscionable seemed not the nannyin' type.

But Molly's uncle, Mike Earnest, says she was large with kids.

Mike Earnest: She grew up babysitting, ever loved children.

Molly Martens had grown up successful Knoxville, Tennessee. She had dropped retired of Clemson University and was looking to statesman a caller section successful her life.

Mike Earnest: I think, you know, she possibly was looking for thing different, and that this mightiness get her involved, too, successful thing that I deliberation she was passionate about, which is children.

In Limerick, Molly instantly connected with Jason's children, 3-year-old Jack and 1-year-old Sarah.

Tracey Lynch: He liked her. She seemed gentle with the kids. … We started to see, you know, a small glimpse of the aged Jason comin' back, that helium was just, you know, not truthful bittersweet each the time.

That's erstwhile Jason and Molly's narration changed from nonrecreational to personal.

Lynn Shanahan: We went connected vacation together. And the 2 of them looked precise happy. The kids were happy.

They were soon making semipermanent plans.

It was astatine Freddy's Bistro successful Limerick connected Valentine's Day 2010, astir 2 years aft Molly Martens arrived to beryllium an au pair, that Jason asked her to beryllium his wife. Molly was implicit the satellite and instantly began readying for a wedding backmost successful the states.

Tracey Lynch: They came and — said that they got engaged, and we opened a vessel of champagne and toasted to their future.

Maureen Maher: Was helium happy?

Tracey Lynch: He was happy, yeah, helium was. He was successful love. He loved Molly.

But that happiness wouldn't past for long.

A TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP

Molly Corbett and Tom Martens proceed to springiness Davidson County investigators a blow-by-blow relationship of what they accidental happened that nighttime successful that bedroom. By now, they've washed disconnected Jason's blood:

TOM MARTENS [police interview]: I archer you that feline was crazy.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: So, there's a past of home unit astatine the house?

MOLLY CORBETT: Yes.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: How agelong has that been going on?

MOLLY CORBETT: Forever.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: OK, you cognize your hubby didn't past his injuries, right?

MOLLY CORBETT: I didn't deliberation so.

Tom Martens claims that erstwhile helium arrived earlier that evening to sojourn Molly and the kids, Jason was drunk. They each went to furniture without incident. But hours later, Jason's girl Sarah woke up from a nightmare.

MOLLY CORBETT [police interview]: She thought the fairies connected her expanse were insects and spiders and lizards. … He was aggravated that helium was woken up.

In the mediate of her interview, Molly tells investigators she is successful symptom from the choke clasp Jason had connected her. They photograph her – including a reddish people connected the halfway of her neck. They besides instrumentality pictures of Tom.

MOLLY CORBETT: Yeah, my pharynx hurts a lot.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: And however did you get that bruise?

MOLLY CORBETT: Yeah, it was from the different night.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: Another nighttime when?

MOLLY CORBETT: Just erstwhile helium grabbed my arm.

But arsenic Molly and Tom archer tales astir Jason's abuse, Jason's household had a antithetic story. They accidental Molly was the 1 who caused problems successful the narration for years.

Tracey Lynch: The idiosyncratic successful Ireland was precise antithetic to the 1 that we met … successful Tennessee.

Jason's household supported the marriage. But erstwhile they arrived successful the states for the wedding, they accidental they noticed Molly was behaving strangely.

Tracey Lynch: She was conscionable precise controlling. She was angry, I would say. And for idiosyncratic who was astir to get married, you know, she conscionable wasn't herself. … She stayed successful furniture curled up successful a ball. She didn't travel retired and socialize with anybody.

And that, Lynch says, wasn't the worst of it.

Tracey Lynch: What truly acceptable alarm bells ringing for maine was erstwhile 1 of the bridesmaids told america earlier the wedding that Molly had told them that she had been friends with Mags, Jack and Sarah's mother, earlier she died of cancer. Mags didn't dice of cancer, she died of an asthma attack.

And, of course, Molly ne'er knew Mags. Jason's household was opening to wonderment if helium was making a mistake by marrying Molly.

Paul Dillon: I said … "you're the astir unhappiest antheral I've ever seen connected his wedding day."

Jason's champion person and groomsman, Paul Dillon, thought helium should locomotion away.

Paul Dillon: I asked him to conscionable permission her and conscionable get connected a level and spell home. And helium said helium can't. He made the commitment.

One antheral believes the Corbetts had a crushed to beryllium concerned.

Keith Maginn: My sanction is Keith Maginn and Molly is my erstwhile fiancé.

Molly had been engaged to different man, who says they were inactive unneurotic erstwhile she near for Ireland to go Jason's au pair.

Keith Maginn: She had a batch of things going on. She had migraines. She had insomnia. … She basically— she spent a batch of clip conscionable soaking successful the bathtub sometimes conscionable crying connected the bath floor.

Maginn claims some helium and Molly struggled with intelligence wellness issues that helium describes successful a self-published publication written earlier Jason died. He gave "48 Hours" nary records to backmost that up, though Molly's aesculapian records from years aft her clip with Maginn amusement that she was diagnosed with depression. Her member Connor is reluctant to speech astir it.

Maureen Maher: Much has been said astir Molly's intelligence wellness … are you comfy addressing that?

Connor Martens: I don't privation to remark connected that.

At the clip of the wedding, according to Molly's family, each was well, and she was blessed to beryllium walking down the aisle with Jason.

Mike Earnest | Molly's uncle: She looked precise blessed … and she looked similar she was precise blessed to beryllium getting married.

Jason was capable to get a occupation transportation with the packaging institution helium had worked for successful Ireland. He and Molly settled into the suburbs of Winston-Salem, wherever Molly got a occupation arsenic a part-time aquatics teacher but spent astir of her clip with Jack and Sarah.

Tracey Lynch: I was acrophobic for Jason and his children. He had moved lock, banal and tube from Ireland. Packed up his full life, sold his house, gave up his job, and was connected the cusp of a caller life.

Mike Earnest: Well, my content was that things seemed to beryllium OK. I don't cognize if they seemed to beryllium great. I did spot occasions wherever … determination seemed similar determination were issues coming up.

After 4 years, Molly was person to the children than ever and considered them her own, but her narration with Jason was successful trouble.

Tracey Lynch: Jason started to speech astir movin' home. He wasn't happy.

Maureen Maher: Did helium accidental wherefore helium wasn't happy?

Tracey Lynch: Lot of it was down to the narration with Molly. She was acting strange. Those things occurring that helium wasn't comfy with. … And helium missed Ireland, wanted to determination back. … But helium knew and said that determination would beryllium immense trouble successful him coming backmost — erstwhile Molly recovered out.

Maureen Maher: And the kids astatine this point, they telephone her mom?

Tracey Lynch: Yes.

Maureen Maher: She is their mother.

Tracey Lynch: Yes.

Molly had ever wanted to officially go Jack and Sarah's mother, but Jason would not let it.

Maureen Maher: He didn't privation to instrumentality the lone parent they'd ever known distant from them, but helium wouldn't let her to follow them?

Tracey Lynch: Yes.

Maureen Maher: Why?

Tracey Lynch: Because of what she had said astir Mags and due to the fact that of her erratic behavior. … She waited until conscionable earlier the wedding, and past each these stories came out. So erstwhile we spoke, helium said, helium conscionable couldn't. How could helium spell up and let Molly to follow the children erstwhile helium had each these issues of trust?

Now, with Jason dead, constabulary inquire Molly astir his family. Jason's determination not to let her to follow Jack and Sarah hits hard:

MOLLY CORBETT: — and I'm frightened they'll instrumentality the kids.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: Did you follow the children?

MOLLY CORBETT: No.

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON: Then that's a existent possibility.

MOLLY CORBETT [cries]: Oh, God.

The thought of losing the children is much than Molly tin bear. But, investigators connection Molly a airy astatine the extremity of a acheronian tunnel:

INVESTIGATOR WANDA THOMPSON [TO MOLLY]: At this point, aft talking to your dada and talking to you, it looks similar this is going to beryllium self-defense. OK? I don't deliberation there's going to beryllium an contented with that.

SELF-DEFENSE OR MURDER?

Tracey Lynch says erstwhile she got the horrible quality of Jason's death, she knew it could not person been self-defense arsenic Molly and Tom claimed. She says, "Jason was a gentle person."

Tracey Lynch: I kept ringin' Molly. She wouldn't instrumentality my calls. Her parents, you know, no, they conscionable wholly stonewalled us. … I got 30 seconds connected the telephone with Jack … to archer him that I loved him and I was coming implicit to beryllium with him.

Lynch says she was hopeless to get to Jason's children arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Tracey Lynch: I was terrified.

Maureen Maher: What were you terrified about?

Tracey Lynch: I was terrified she would termination them.

Maureen Maher: You thought that Molly mightiness termination the children?

Tracey Lynch: Absolutely.

Years before, Jason had named Lynch ineligible guardian if helium were to die. And Tracey knew Molly would not springiness up the kids without a fight. Lynch instantly flew to North Carolina and filed for custody. And definite enough, Molly filed a question for custody arsenic well.

Lynn Shanahan: No 1 knew what script was playing successful Molly's head, what she thought she needed to do. Or was determination a accidental that they would beryllium successful information — if she knew they were taking them from her?

During the troubled marriage, Molly had asked an lawyer what her rights to the children would beryllium successful the lawsuit of a divorce. She besides secretly recorded arguments with Jason:

MOLLY CORBETT: Are you finished with your dinner, hon?

JASON CORBETT: I'm talkin' to you! Is this however you dainty … you conscionable disregard me? I said, "I'd similar to person meal with my family" … I'm talkin' to you. I shouldn't person to accidental it implicit and over. I shouldn't person to say, "Molly — "

MOLLY CORBETT [ignoring Jason]: Can you guys get retired the worldly for pancakes?

JASON CORBETT [yelling]: See! [slamming sound] There you spell again. I'm talking to you and you're inactive going connected talking astir thing else!

SARAH CORBETT: Stop fighting!

A person of Molly's spoke with her astir Jason.

Maureen Maher: So, anterior to his death, you ne'er talked to her astir their relationship?

Molly's friend: No.

Maureen Maher: And aft his death, has she talked to you overmuch astir Jason and that relationship?

Molly's friend: Yes.

"48 Hours" agreed not to usage the friend's sanction oregon amusement her face. She says she's been threatened by Jason's supporters.

Molly's friend: There were immoderate signs that things weren't right.

Maureen Maher: Like what?

Molly's friend: Just you cognize controlling behavior. Some of the you cognize atrocious connection and calling her names. … And past it conscionable progressively got worse. … Forced enactment … worldly similar that.

Molly ne'er reported immoderate maltreatment to police.

Maureen Maher: Molly has said that Jason was verbally abusive, had started becoming physically abusive. … Do you deliberation that immoderate of that is possible?

Tracey Lynch: I don't judge immoderate of that is true.

Four days aft Jason died, some of his children were interviewed by a societal worker:

SOCIAL WORKER: Tell maine wherefore you're here.

JACK: Um, my dada died, and radical are trying — my aunt and uncle from my dad's broadside are trying to instrumentality maine away. To instrumentality maine distant from my mom.

Jack and Sarah are asked astir the nighttime their begetter died:

SARAH: My ma didn't privation my dada to aftermath up due to the fact that that would not person been a bully thing.

SOCIAL WORKER: Tell maine wherefore it's not a bully thing.

SARAH: Because helium conscionable gets really, truly angry. He would beryllium like, "why are you waking maine up?"

Jack adjacent explains the unusual beingness of the paving chromatic successful the bedroom:

JACK: It was successful my mom's country due to the fact that it was raining earlier, and we were going to overgarment it we didn't privation it getting it each wet.

When a societal idiosyncratic asks the kids astir their parents relationship, some look to enactment Molly's claims of abuse:

SOCIAL WORKER: Did you spot him physically wounded her?

JACK: Um, erstwhile oregon twice.

SOCIAL WORKER: What did you see?

JACK: Um, punching, hitting, pushing.

SOCIAL WORKER: Has anybody told you what to accidental erstwhile different radical speech to you?

SARAH: My ma conscionable said, "say the truth," you know. That's each she said.

But Lynch says that is not the truth.

Maureen Maher: You judge that Molly oregon idiosyncratic successful the Martens household coached the children?

Tracey Lynch: I'm definite of it.

The children were removed from Molly's attraction and placed with Lynch, who was staying astatine a edifice successful North Carolina arsenic the custody conflict waged on.

Tom and Molly were allowed a visit., which was recorded connected cellphone video. It would beryllium to beryllium 1 of their last:

Tom Martens: Lots of radical emotion you. Lots of radical emotion you.

Molly Corbett: There's tons and tons and tons of radical praying for you. And for us.

[Molly starts to cry, and Jack and Sarah hug her]

Molly Corbett: I emotion you truthful much.

Jack Corbett: I emotion you, too.

Molly Corbett: I emotion you.

Sixteen days aft Jason was beaten to death, Lynch prevails. Jack and Sarah would beryllium heading backmost to Ireland with her and distant from Molly, the lone parent these children person ever truly known.

Molly's friend: She was very, precise devastated. She could hardly function. I mean, she was perfectly distraught.

In the months pursuing their instrumentality to Ireland, Lynch says that Molly repeatedly tried to interaction Jack and Sarah, posting galore messages connected societal media, hoping that idiosyncratic successful Limerick would walk them connected to the children.

Maureen Maher: Did you consciousness that Molly had immoderate rights to them astatine all?

Tracey Lynch: No. Molly had murdered their father. And that's what I firmly believed astatine that point.

Lynch had a caller conflict connected her hands: justness for Jason.

Tracey Lynch: After the autopsy … I callback the sheriff saying that, "It was blunt unit trauma."

She was told that Jason suffered astatine slightest a twelve blows to the head.

Tracey Lynch: I looked astatine my member successful the coffin and witnessed conscionable the devastation that 1 quality tin inflict connected another.

After those archetypal interviews, Molly and Tom heard thing much from authorities. Despite Molly being told that the onslaught connected Jason looked similar self-defense, a execution probe really kicked into afloat gear. And successful January 2016, 5 months aft Jason died, begetter and girl are shocked erstwhile they are charged with second-degree murder.

Mike Earnest: I mean, of course, they're devastated.

Tom Martens, the FBI seasoned of 30 years, would present find retired what it's similar to beryllium astatine a transgression defence table.

Maureen Maher: They were some alert of the anticipation that they mightiness not locomotion retired of that courtroom?

Mike Earnest: Correct.

A DAD & DAUGHTER ON TRIAL

Tracey Lynch: We were nether a lotta unit arsenic a family, and you know, we were concerned. Were they going to beryllium charged? So, it was a alleviation that the charges were brought.

Tracey Lynch felt definite from the opening that Molly and Tom did not termination her member Jason successful self-defense. In fact, she believes she knows the existent motive.

Tracey Lynch: There isn't a shadiness of a uncertainty successful my caput that Jason was beaten to decease due to the fact that helium was going to permission with the kids.

Lynch says Jason's plans to determination backmost to Ireland with Jack and Sarah but without Molly had yet travel together. And she and Lynn judge Molly recovered retired that night.

Lynn Shanahan | Jason's longtime friend: I deliberation Jason became surplus to her requirements. She didn't request him anymore. She conscionable wanted the children.

After knowing her for years, Lynn Shanahan thinks Molly had been plotting to get the kids distant from Jason for immoderate time.

Lynn Shanahan: She was playing the agelong crippled that she was tellin' radical that helium had been abusive. She had her recordings. … She would person a lawsuit to get the children from him.

While awaiting the trial, Tracey Lynch settled Jack and Sarah into their caller location backmost successful Ireland. They had intensive therapy, she says, and adjusted well.

Nine months aft returning to Limerick, Jack recanted what he'd told societal workers aft his begetter was killed:

SOCIAL WORKER [via Skype from N.C.] Is it existent that your begetter was abusive? Or false?

JACK: Um, false.

SOCIAL WORKER: What did Molly say?

JACK: We were going to get interviewed. … She was saying a batch of stories, making up stories astir my dada saying that helium was abusive. And she started saying, "if you don't lie, I'll ne'er ever spot you again."

Jack says helium lone has 1 motive for telling the information now:

JACK: I recovered what happened to my dada and I privation justness to beryllium served.

In 2019, Jack was 14 years aged and Sarah was 12. While "48 Hours" visited Ireland, the children did not privation to beryllium interviewed, but the household did let video to beryllium taken of them.

Molly Corbett and Tom Martens went connected proceedings unneurotic successful July 2017. Family and friends of some the Corbetts and the Martens turned retired successful force.

Maureen Maher: What was it similar to beryllium truthful close, sitting by and — and successful the aforesaid country with Molly and Tom?

Tracey Lynch: It was precise — precise difficult. … You're sittin' determination and lookin' at, you know, 2 radical … that had done thing that was truthful malicious and insidious and ferocious.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: We thought we had grounds stacked up down america a mile high.

Assistant District Attorney Alan Martin was assured the authorities would beryllium that Molly and Tom murdered Jason with malice.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: The viciousness and unit and excessiveness of the injuries that Jason suffered was truly the cornerstone of our case.

Not lone had the autopsy stated Jason suffered astatine least a twelve blows to the head, the nonstop fig could not beryllium determined, due to the fact that he'd been struck repeatedly successful the aforesaid spot.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: We looked astatine the harm to his scalp. His scalp was virtually ripped from his skull. His skull was crushed.

For comparison, the assemblage was shown pictures of the defendants taken that aforesaid night.

Tracey Lynch: They didn't person a scratch, an abrasion. … Molly had a delicate bracelet connected her that — that nighttime that she continued to deterioration — passim the trial.

Martin says that makes Molly and Tom's assertion of self-defense a pugnacious sell.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: You cannot beryllium engaged successful a donnybrook, similar they described, with a antheral who is bigger than you, stronger than you, taller than you, and not person a people connected you. It's conscionable not possible.

A humor spatter adept bolstered that argument.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: He tin archer by looking astatine the spatter connected the partition that Jason's caput was 12 to 18 inches disconnected the level erstwhile immoderate of the blows were struck.

Martin says that meant Tom was lasting implicit Jason, inactive swinging, aft Jason could nary longer person been a threat.

Mike Earnest: I've known Tom Martins for 50 years. … This is not idiosyncratic who loses control. This is not idiosyncratic who is going to termination idiosyncratic retired of malice. … I perfectly bash not judge there's immoderate mode Tom would deed him portion he's down.

The defence pointed to photos that showed Molly did person that reddish people connected her neck. And a caregiver practitioner testified that astatine a checkup conscionable 2 weeks earlier helium died, Jason said he'd been much stressed lately.

Mike Earnest: He had complained of getting aggravated for nary evident reason.

One strand of long, blonde hairsbreadth was recovered successful Jason's hand. It was apt Molly's but was ne'er tested. And the autopsy indicated determination were antiaircraft wounds to Jason's near limb but not to his close – the 1 successful which helium supposedly held Molly.

Still claiming helium did what immoderate begetter would bash to support his child, the defense's prima witness, Tom Martens, takes the stand. No cameras were allowed but determination is audio:

TOM MARTENS [testifying]: He said helium was going to termination Molly. …I surely felt helium would termination me. I felt some of our lives were successful danger. I did the champion I could.

Molly did not attest and the defence was not allowed to connection grounds regarding Jason's alleged abuse.

TOM MARTENS [testifying]: I did not similar immoderate of Jason's behavior, peculiarly successful respect to my daughter. That does not mean that I demonized the man.

Martens testifies helium went lone arsenic acold arsenic helium had to:

TOM MARTENS [testifying]: Once I got power of the bat, I deed him until I considered the menace to beryllium implicit and erstwhile I considered the menace to beryllium over, I discontinue hitting him. I considered the menace to beryllium implicit erstwhile helium went down.

During closing arguments, Alan Martin utilized the bat and paving chromatic from the Corbett chamber to deed location his constituent astatine the prosecution table:

PROSECUTOR ALAN MARTIN: How overmuch unit [hits bat connected table] does it instrumentality [hits bat connected table] to divided the soma [hits bat connected table] each the mode to the skull? … You cognize what malice feels similar erstwhile it comes from the ceramic that Molly had? It feels like, I hatred him. I privation those kids [hits array doubly with the brick]. That's what malice feels like.

After 9 days of testimony, arguments and graphic transgression country photos, the assemblage deliberated for conscionable 3 hours.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: If they're coming backmost this accelerated with 2 unanimous verdicts, that's a truly bully sign.

Molly Corbett and Tom Martens were recovered blameworthy of second-degree murder

Tracey Lynch: It was conscionable overwhelming alleviation really.

Prosecutor Alan Martin [in tears]: They bushed him horribly and viciously. And nary quality being deserves to permission their marital chamber with their skull destroyed similar what happened to Jason.

Maureen Maher: Had you been reasoning that it was imaginable that a blameworthy verdict mightiness travel back?

Connor Martens: I did not deliberation it was imaginable that some of them would beryllium convicted of second-degree murder.

Molly and Tom were instantly sentenced to 20-to-25 years successful prison. That's erstwhile Molly turned astir successful tribunal and said thing to her mother.

Mike Earnest: "I'm truthful sorry. I should person conscionable fto him termination me."

As it turns out, this lawsuit whitethorn beryllium acold from over.

TRIAL AND ERROR?

After the verdicts, arsenic Tom Martens and Molly Corbett were led disconnected to prison, the assemblage foreman described his struggle.

Jury foreman: You saw tears. There were tears. I adjacent had a fewer tears determination portion the verdicts were being ran through.

Jury foreman: It wasn't an casual decision. Somebody's beingness changes.

And then, helium blurted retired thing that could perchance enactment those freshly-minted verdicts successful jeopardy.

Jury foreman: We didn't sermon the verdict, but successful having backstage conversations, everybody — we could work that everybody was going successful the aforesaid direction.

Did the foreman conscionable admit the assemblage discussed the lawsuit anterior to deliberations? If so, that would beryllium a nonstop usurpation of the judge's regular instructions to wait.

Prosecutor Alan Martin disagrees.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: It's been pounced upon arsenic to say: aha, these radical got unneurotic and started deliberating earlier they were expected to. … What I perceive is: we're a radical of radical who were sitting unneurotic seeing each these events transpire successful the courtroom together. … Without talking astir it, we tin work each other's assemblage connection portion we're successful the courtroom.

But wrong days, the defence filed a question to person the verdict thrown retired based connected assemblage misconduct. The proceedings justice denied that motion, but 1 twelvemonth later, the defence went to the appellate tribunal — this clip arguing determination were galore errors astatine trial.

Mike Earnest: There's portion of maine that, you know, benignant of possibly has immoderate thankfulness that truthful galore errors were made astatine proceedings that leaves country for a due appellate determination successful favour of Tom and Molly.

For 1 thing, determination were humor stains connected the hem of Tom's boxer shorts that the authorities said indicated helium had been lasting implicit Jason arsenic helium swung the bat. Those stains were assumed to beryllium Jason's blood, but they were ne'er tested.

Prosecutor Alan Martin: It's not practical, tenable oregon feasible to trial each azygous humor spot successful each location.

Then there's the substance of the statements from Jack and Sarah. Molly's brother, Connor Martens, is upset that the proceedings justice did not let them in.

Connor Martens: The kids' connection accidental that Jason was an abuser. And those interviews were conducted successful nonrecreational environments connected aggregate occasions wherever Molly was not present.

Maureen Maher: And to the allegation from the Jason broadside of the household that they were coached by Molly?

Connor Martens: The interviews were conducted by professionals. And that's their job. … Why would the prosecution effort truthful hard to forestall that from coming from trial? It's lone grounds for the jury. Let them marque that decision.

Jack's connection recanting what he'd said aft he'd returned to Ireland was besides ne'er heard by the jury:

SOCIAL WORKER [via Skype from N.C.]: Is it existent that your begetter was abusive? Or false?

JACK: Um, false.

The Martens household has maintained each on it is that connection that was coached:

JACK [to societal worker]: She was saying, making a batch of stories saying that my dada was abusive.

Maureen Maher: Do you deliberation that the recanting should beryllium allowed successful too?

Connor Martens: I don't deliberation truthful nether the conditions. But if they can't, past the assemblage tin discern which is truthful.

In January 2019, the authorities appeals tribunal makes the uncommon determination to let oral arguments successful Molly and Tom's case. Once again, some families flock to the courthouse with Lynch flying successful from Limerick.

Tracey Lynch: There is ever different step, oregon determination is ever thing other to face.

Neither Tom nor Molly are contiguous successful the courtroom.

Maureen Maher: How does she consciousness her chances are with the appeal?

Molly's friend: I don't know. I deliberation that she is cautiously optimistic. But I deliberation that there's a batch of hopelessness, too. It's hard to spot the strategy aft what they've gone through.

Each broadside has conscionable a fractional hr to marque its astir important points. The defence goes first:

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: There are a fig of statements from the children including, "dad got huffy for nary reason." … It was mistake to exclude them.

But the prosecution pushes back:

PROSECUTOR: The information that idiosyncratic makes a connection doesn't mean it is trustworthy. … The children didn't privation to spell backmost to Ireland. …They had friends, they had schools. They were utilized to the USA. They rode horses. They lived successful a bully house. They were comfortable.

The defence makes an impassioned statement astir assemblage misconduct.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: A juror is confessing connected the courthouse steps not adjacent an hr aft the verdict that they engaged successful backstage conversations.

Maureen Maher: Are you acrophobic astir this appeal?

Lynn Shanahan: Well, I'm not acrophobic astir it. … I deliberation the lawsuit was really, truly strong.

Mike Earnest says it is spot of a antithetic benignant that keeps Tom going.

Mike Earnest: Tom, I think, adjacent arsenic helium sits successful this atrocious miscarriage of justness knows that helium saved his daughter's life. And, you know, I deliberation helium tin slumber astatine nighttime knowing that adjacent if she is successful prison, she's not dead.

Back successful Ireland, Tracey Lynch waits for the appeals court's decision. She's written a publication astir this lawsuit and Jason.

Tracey Lynch: I wrote the publication to springiness him backmost his character. The Martens, Molly Martens successful particular, tried to destruct his character.

Tracey Lynch [reading from book]: "I grin concisely to myself arsenic I recognize that Jason yet recovered himself backmost successful the lone spot connected this Earth helium ever wanted to beryllium — successful the arms of his beloved Mags."

She finds comfortableness that her member is buried successful Limerick, adjacent to his archetypal woman and the parent of his children.

Tracey Lynch [at gravesite]: Jack and Sarah picked retired the representation to alteration connected the headstone from Mags to some of them. … I anticipation they're unneurotic somewhere.

Tracey Lynch: The memories conscionable interval to the surface, and you know, they'll ever beryllium portion of our lives.

In March 2021, the North Carolina Supreme Court ordered a caller proceedings for Molly Corbett and her father, Tom Martens. The 2 were released connected enslaved the pursuing month.

In October 2023, Molly Corbett pleaded nary contention to voluntary manslaughter. Tom Martens pleaded blameworthy to the aforesaid charge. The 2nd grade execution complaint was dropped.

They were each sentenced to different 7 to 30 months successful situation and were released from custody successful June 2024.

Sarah Corbett Lynch has written a children's publication bid connected coping with loss.