Marion County Judge Martha Mertz affirmed the $10 million civil judgment against Jason Carter Friday. The Affirmation comes after Carter’s defense attorneys had asked Judge Mertz to vacate the judgment after Jason Carter was found not-guilty in March of Murder in the First Degree for the murder of his mother Shirley Carter. In her ruling Judge Mertz expressed the different burdens of proof between a civil case and a criminal case. Mertz states “the burden of proof in a civil case is beyond the preponderance of the evidence, meaning the greater weight of the evidence. The burden of proof in a criminal case is beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a heavier burden. The fact that Jason was found not guilty by the jury in the criminal case does not negate the validity of the jury’s verdict in the civil case.”

Jason Carter plans to appeal the ruling. Jason and his wife Shelly Carter tell KNIA/KRLS News, “We are thankful Judge Mertz has finally made her expected ruling. It is time for this appeal to be put in front of a panel of judges for this grave injustice to be overturned.”