Wrongful death lawsuit filed amid Jason Corbett murder trial
David Lynch, the executor of Mr Corbett’s estate, filed the lawsuit in Davidson Superior Court last week and also named Molly Corbett’s mother, Sharon Martens, as a defendant.
Mr Lynch is the husband of Tracey Lynch, Jason Corbett’s sister, and they have guardianship of Mr Corbett’s children from his first marriage, Jack and Sarah. The family lives in Limerick but are in North Caroline with other members of Mr Corbett’s family for the trial.
Ms Corbett, aged 33, and Mr Martens, aged 67, a former FBI agent, are charged with second-degree murder. Mr Corbett, 39, was found bludgeoned to death in the early-morning hours of August 2, 2015, at 160 Panther Creek Court in the Meadowlands, a golf-course community in Davidson County. He lived there with Ms Corbett, his second wife, and his two children from his first marriage.
Ms Corbett and Thomas Martens are claiming self-defence and defence of others. They say Mr Martens struck Mr Corbett because he was choking Ms Corbett during an altercation. Mr and Mrs Martens had been visiting from Tennessee and were staying in a guest bedroom in the basement.
As reported by the , the lawsuit alleges that Ms Corbett and Mr Martens “intentionally, willfully and maliciously assaulted” Mr Corbett, using a baseball bat and a concrete paving brick.
It also alleges that Mrs Martens “assisted, aided and abetted the defendants Molly Page Corbett and Thomas Martens in the killing of Jason Corbett and in the concealment and destruction of evidence related to Jason Corbett’s death”.
Mrs Martens has not been criminally charged in Mr Corbett’s death.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants’ actions caused Mr Corbett “extreme pain and discomfort and death”.
David Pishko, who represents Mr Lynch in his role as executor of Mr Corbett’s estate in the lawsuit, declined to comment over the weekend.
David Freedman, Mr Martens’ attorney, said he and Walter Holton, attorney for Ms Corbett, had no comment on the lawsuit. He confirmed they were both served with the lawsuit last Thursday in Courtroom C of Davidson Superior Court, where the trial is taking place. The lawsuit seeks a total of at least $50,000 (€42,950) in compensatory and punitive damages.
