This is part of what deputy director of public prosecutions Anthony Williamson told the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, providing an insight into the enormous task facing police as they investigate the recent death in Civic of 29-year-old Jordan Powell.

Mr Powell's alleged killer, Kenan Dowden-Carlisle, 19, was not required in court as Legal Aid lawyer Sam McLaughlin entered a not guilty plea to a murder charge on his behalf.

Mr Dowden-Carlisle is alleged to have fatally stabbed Mr Powell, an Indigenous father of four, in broad daylight in an alleyway near the King O'Malley's pub on December 4.

Emergency services were called about 9.45am that day after Mr Powell collapsed in nearby Garema Place, where members of the public, police and paramedics tried in vain to save the 29-year-old known as "Ducky".

Mr Dowden-Carlisle, from Greenleigh, near Queanbeyan, was arrested in Ainslie Place about 45 minutes later following a short foot pursuit.

He has been in custody ever since, having declined the opportunity to apply for bail.

Magistrate James Stewart said last month that the teenager "hadn't slept for several nights" prior to the alleged murder.

Mr Stewart was on the bench again on Friday morning, when court proceedings began with the not guilty plea being entered.

He was then asked by Mr Williamson to grant a 10-week adjournment, which the prosecutor said was necessary for police to prepare the brief of evidence.

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Mr Williamson revealed the volume of potential witnesses and CCTV footage still to be scrutinised, adding that a number of forensic reports also remained outstanding.

Mr McLaughlin did not argue against the application for what is a longer than usual adjournment, and Mr Stewart therefore granted it.

The magistrate listed the case to return to court on April 1, which he described as "an unfortunate day in the calendar".

Mr Dowden-Carlisle will remain behind bars on remand at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the meantime.

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