The wife and father-in-law of County Limerick man Jason Corbett will go on trial for his murder in the US today.

Molly Martens Corbett – aged 33-years-old – and her 67-year-old father, Thomas Martens are both charged with second degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.

The Limerick man was found with fatal head injuries at his home in North Carolina on August 2nd 2015.

Police were dispatched to the house following an emergency call from Thomas Martens – who had been visiting the couple.

He reportedly told the operator that he had been in an argument with Mr Corbett and had struck him over the head with a baseball bat - because he was choking his daughter.

Both the accused have claimed they were acting in self defence.

They were charged in January 2016 and released on bail awaiting trial.

Following his death, Mr Corbett’s family won a custody battle over his two children from his first marriage.

Both the children have since returned to Ireland under the guardianship of their aunt Tracey and her husband Jason.

Ms Martens Corbett had cared for the children as an au-pair before marrying their father and moving with the family to North Carolina.

The children's biological mother, Mags Fitzpatrick, died following an asthma attack in 2006.

The case has attracted significant media attention in local and national media in the US – with lawyers for the accused applying to have the case moved outside the district in an effort to empanel an impartial jury.

The trial is expected to last between two and three weeks