THE LIMERICK family of the late Jason Corbett have said they need time to process sentences handed down to his killers.
The family has appealed for privacy after Mr Corbett’s former wife, Molly Martens and father-in-law Tom were sentenced having pleaded guilty to his manslaughter at his North Carolina home in 2015.
Judge David Hall of Davidson Superior Court handed down 51 to 74 months in prison on voluntary manslaughter charges minus time served. Both the Martens get credit for 44 months already served from sentences after their 2017 convictions.
The sentencing works out to 7 to 30 months of remaining active prison time for each defendant.
But their attorneys said after the hearing concluded in Lexington that each defendant will actually serve only seven months behind bars, thanks to good behaviour sentencing reduction they earned during their 44 months previously served.
Sarah Corbett told Hall that defence witnesses and lawyers twisted her words when she was 8 to help Molly and Thomas Martens get lenient prison sentences.
Ms Corbett, who is now 17, said she is receiving therapy as she tries to cope with the Martens’ use of lies to help their case over the past eight years.
“Molly Martens weaponised my love,” Sarah Corbett said.
In his statement to Hall, Jack Corbett said his words had been “twisted’ after he gave statements when he was ten.
“I have lost so much of myself since the day he was taken,” Jack said.
Jack described Molly Martens as a “living monster”, and denied he had ever seen his father be violent towards her.
“My dad didn’t deserve to be killed,” he said.
Following the sentencing, the Corbett family have commented on X, saying “this is not a moment for celebration”. However, they will now try to “find a path to move forward in (their) lives”.
Tracey Corbett Lynch concluded by thanking everyone for their help and support, and asked for privacy now to recover from the experience.
“While we may not be satisfied with the sentencing, we would like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work exhibited by the Davidson County Sheriff department and the District Attorney’s office throughout the past eight years.”
“We are deeply grateful for the support we have received from the people of North Carolina and Ireland. We thank the media for their interest and reporting. We kindly ask for privacy as our family processes this experience with the comforting knowledge that Jason will forever hold a place in our hearts and memories,” they said.
