Markoff hearing postponed for third time, spokesman says

Philip Markoff, the former Boston University School of Medicine student who was arrested in April 2009 for the murder of a Craigslist-advertised masseuse, has had his court hearing postponed for the third time. The hearing which was supposed to have taken place Friday, has not yet been rescheduled.

Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Jake Wark said no evidence will be heard and no conclusions about the trial will be reached during the court appearance. This hearing is also expected to set a date for his trial.

“The next court date is meant to be purely administrative in nature rather than substantive,” Wark said, explaining that Friday’s court date will involve exchanging papers with the defense attorney only.

Wark said he is unsure when the trial will take place.

“In all likelihood the trial will probably be rescheduled because the prosecutor will be sentencing another murder at the same time,” Wark said.

Markoff is charged with the April 14, 2009 murder of Julissa Brisman at the Boston Marriott Copley Place hotel and the April 10, 2009 armed robbery and kidnapping of Trisha Leffler at the Westin Copley Place hotel.

Both women advertised masseuse services under the “erotic services” section on Craigslist, which led to Markoff being referred to by the media as the “Craiglist killer.”

Following the alleged murder, Craigslist removed the “erotic services” section from their website.

Police also investigated Markoff in connection with a third attempted robbery of an exotic dancer at a Holiday Inn Express in Warwick, R.I. on April 16, 2009.

He is facing charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, two counts of armed kidnapping, armed assault with intent to rob and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Markoff pleaded not guilty to all charges at his June 22, 2009 arraignment.