Accused murderer Eric Copple appeared in Napa Superior Court Wednesday, but there was little apparent progress in the case of the Napa man accused of killing two 26-year-old women in 2004.

The setting of a trial date for accused murder Eric Copple was continued until Dec. 5.

Superior Court Judge Francisca Tisher granted the continuance Wednesday morning after several bench conferences and private meetings involving Copple, attorneys for both sides, family members of the victims and Copple’s family.

Copple has been charged with stabbing Adriane Insogna and Leslie Mazzara on Nov. 1, 2004, in the upstairs bedrooms of their southwest Napa home.

Wearing wire-rimmed glasses, a well-groomed beard and jailhouse blues, Copple was brought into court by bailiffs and sat next to Amy Morton, one of his attorneys. He clasped his hands on top of the table and appeared never to make eye contact with his wife, Lily, and other friends and family members who sat in the front row directly behind him.

The first row on the other side of the room was occupied by family members of the victims, including Mazzara’s mother, Cathy Harrington, who traveled from her Michigan home for the hearing.

Copple has been held in Napa County jail without bail since Sept. 28, 2005, when he turned himself in to authorities and, police say, confessed to the murders. That night he was arrested and charged with two counts of murder with special allegations of using a knife and multiple victims. Earlier this year, the district attorney also added the special allegation of lying in wait. Because of the allegations, Copple could face the death penalty.

At Wednesday’s hearing it was expected the district attorney’s office was going to announce its decision of whether to seek the death penalty.

“This is pretty consistent with what we have talked about for sometime,” Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein said, speaking about the continuance. “Our office is engaged in a slow process and whatever decision we reach we want it to be the right decision for this case and the community. The decision involves continual contact with (victims’) family members as well as meeting with the defense team.

“Based on meeting last week with family members there is some additional information we need to receive prior to making a final determination whether to seek the death penalty,” Lieberstein said. “We anticipate that when we appear in court on Dec. 5, our decision will be final and made public at that time.”

It’s been a long, tough road for Insogna’s mother, Arlene Allen, who lives in Calistoga.

“I was a little disappointed. We have had so many continuances since Eric was arrested. But I have every confidence we are getting closer to that date. Before Gary (Lieberstein) makes a decision he confers with the family. He has done that all along,” Allen said. “He has made it clear that it is his responsibility and I am confident the decision he will make will be the best for the family and the right thing to do.”

The two-year-anniversary of her daughter’s death, just two weeks ago, was an emotional time for Allen.

“Oct. 31 is a very difficult for me. I felt very sad in a piercing way. Although Nov. 1 is the actual date of Adriane’s death, she never saw the dawn of that day. I think of the wonderful day she had on her last day, handing out Halloween candy to the kids and baking cupcakes for the little girls across the street. That was a happy day for Adriane.”