Newton Teens' Murder Trial Pushed Back

The murder trial of two Newton men fpr killing a Waltham man has been pushed back from its initial start date of Sept. 5.

Benjamin Peirce, 18, and Shaquan Jacobs, 19, will appear in court again on Sept. 28, according to Middlesex County District Attorney Spokesperson Stephanie Guyotte. A new date for the trial has not been set. 

Peirce and Jacobs  in connection with the Sept. 30, 2010 shooting death of 29-year-old Adam Coveney, of Waltham. 

According to Guyotte, Peirce appeared in Middlesex Superior Court on August 21 for a motion hearing. He will appear on Sept. 28 for a status hearing. 

Jacobs, who appeared in court yesterday, will be on for a pre-trial conference on Sept. 28, the DA's office said. It is possible that a new trial date will be set at that time. 

Information as to why the trial was pushed back was not immediately available. 

Officials allege that Peirce and Jacobs met up with Daniel Louis, of Roxbury, on Sept. 30 and attempted to rob a  student they knew well. When that failed, they met up with Coveney to purchase drugs and allegedly brought a gun along with masks, gloves and bleach.

Prosecutors allege that Peirce, Jacobs and Louis left in a car driven by Newton resident Wallace Duarte, who was charged with being an accessory after the fact. 

for allegedly violating terms of his release.

Last week, the DA's office told Newton Patch that the defense had filed a motion to combine Peirce's case and Jacobs' case for trial. However, Guyotte could not confirm whether the motion was granted. 

Earlier this year,  on the night of the alleged murder. According to the DA's office, Judge Kathe Tuttman ruled in favor of suppressing statements made by Jacobs after 12:45 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2010. 

All other motions to suppress statements, including all of those made by Peirce, were denied, the DA's office said.