Jason killer ‘misses his kids’
Claims she ‘struggling’ not seeing two children
KILLERS Molly and Tom Martens have been given a “new lease of life” and are enjoying home comforts following release from prison this week, according to a family lawyer.
David Freedman said the father and daughter are happy to be back sleeping in their own beds and eating home-cooked meals.
In response to the development, victim Jason’s Corbett family said his children look forward to telling the truth about their “evil” stepmother.
The pair, who were found guilty in 2017 of the second-degree murder of the 39-year-old, from Limerick, were released from prison on bail on Wednesday pending a retrial.
Their verdicts were overturned by the North Carolina Supreme Court last year after they claimed they did not get a fair trial as they could not fully present their cases.
HAPPY
Mr Freedman believes a retrial is unlikely before 2022 – and that he intends to put Mr Corbett’s children on the stand.
He told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “Tom is so happy to be reunited with his family.
“His wife has been sick the whole time he has been away, she’s had cancer.
“She’s responding well to some experimental drugs but the hardest thing for him has not been able to be there to take care of her.”
He told how Tom, 71, and Molly, who admitted attacking Jason with a baseball bat and a brick, enjoyed their first night of freedom with a slap-up family meal.
Mr Freedman added: “They have all had a fantastic reunion.
“He [Tom] hadn’t seen Molly since the day of the conviction.
“And then he and Sharon have been cut off because of Covid and she’s at high risk because of cancer.
“I know they had a big meal yesterday [Thursday]. I think right now they are just trying to process everything and de-stress.
“I think Tom thought when the jury came back with a conviction and the judge gave him the sentence he did he was never going to get out of prison. It’s a new lease on life. You learn that
[Tom] is so happy to be reunited with his family – his wife is sick DAVID FREEDMAN ON PAIR’S RELEASE FROM JAIL
simple pleasures are the best, a good meal, sleeping in your own bed.
“The freedom to those things is tremendous.” He revealed how Tom Martens had been working as a janitor while imprisoned at the North Carolina prison.
But while the former FBI agent adapted well to jail life, his daughter Molly, 37, struggled.
Mr Freedman said: “Tom’s a very strong person. He actually held several jobs when he was in prison. There was a furniture making factory on the grounds and he was the head janitor for that.”
The lawyer added Molly struggled with not being able to see Jason’s two children harder than being found guilty of his murder.
He said: “With everything she went through, having the kids taken away from her was the most damaging.
“I think even more damaging than the conviction was having those kids taken away from her.”
And he added she was upset when she learnt she couldn’t communicate with them upon her release.
When asked if she was finding it hard, Mr Freedman replied: “Yes.” He added the pair have found negative comments about them hard.
Mr Freedman said: “These are good, family people who have a stellar record – family, employment and community.
TARGET
“And to have people all of a sudden target them for whatever reason is completely inappropriate.
“People don’t know what goes on in people’s homes. Regardless of how this all plays out, it’s tragic for everybody.”
Meanwhile, Jason’s family posted a message on social media yesterday thanking all those who have shown “such tremendous friendship and support on both sides of the Atlantic”.
They said: “When something so appalling occurs, it unifies people, as human beings and citizens of the world.
“This isn’t about anger or revenge, this is about a will to honour those we love and shine a light on truth and justice.
“All children, not just Jason’s, need to live in a world where they see that there is justice, honesty and fairness.”
His sister Tracey Corbett Lynch said from the moment she touched
To our community in Limerick, you have all been amazing TRACEY CORBETT LYNCH ON SUPPORT TO FAMILY
down in the US on August 4, 2015, she experienced “such kindness”.
In a stoic and dignified post, she thanked the District Attorney’s team for fighting for justice for Jason for the past five years and eight months.
SOLIDARITY
She added: “For those who showed up to court this week, you may not have been allowed in to court due to Covid restrictions but we felt your solidarity.
“To our community in Limerick, you have been amazing. The solidarity shown restores our faith in humanity.
“No matter where this path will take us, we have wonderful love and memories of Jason in our hearts and minds.
“His smile, kindness and love of his beautiful children, his friendship and personality will not be forgotten.
“Today, we will honour Jason, hug all our beautiful children closely and live life as he would have wanted.
“We have a wedding to look forward to, schools to plan for and futures to focus on. Thank you to all of you.”
Tom and Molly have been granted a full retrial, having been released on a €200,000 bail bond.
Jason’s children Jack and Sarah have returned to Ireland under his sister
Tracey’s care in Limerick.
In May 2016, Jack told the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office Molly had coerced him and Sarah into making earlier statements about domestic abuse.
He said they were false and it was Molly who had been abusive both to their father and to him.
The retrial will now admit those initial interviews as evidence – and they could be pivotal in the outcome.