Jason Corbett killing: Defence claims Limerick man had murdered his first wife

The hearing on Thursday saw Judge David Hall issue a more detailed gag order around the trial

Jason Corbett (pictured) was beaten to death with a baseball bat. File picture: Brendan Gleeson

An attorney for Molly Martens, who is going on trial, along with her father, Thomas Martens, for the 2015 murder of her husband, Limerick businessman Jason Corbett, made a startling allegation in court on Thursday morning — Jason Corbett murdered his first wife and nearly killed his second wife in almost the same manner if not for Martens' actions in beating Jason to death with a baseball bat.

Douglas Kingsbery, Molly Martens' attorney, was complaining that Jason Corbett's family has continued to make public statements about the case despite a gag order and he specifically mentioned statements that Jason's sister, Tracey Corbett Lynch, has made in her newest book, "Loss and What It Taught Me About Living: A Memoir about Love, Grief, Hope and Healing."