The man accused of pushing the lethal, illicit drugs that killed a 14-year-old boy had his case called in provincial court this morning.

It’s the first case of its kind in the province where someone has been directly blamed for supplying the drugs that caused an overdose death. And for passing them off as Xanax and Dilaudid pills, all the while knowing they were a deadly concoction of synthetic opioids.

That’s what 14-year-old Axel Martin unknowingly ingested in Mount Pearl on the night of March 14th this year. He was found unresponsive and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Six weeks later police searched a home in St. John’s, seizing cocaine, ketamine and phenazolam. Ten weeks after that, 19-year-old Zack Mulrooney was arrested and charged with manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death, drug trafficking and possession.

He made his first, tense court appearance in August amid a throng of grieving relatives and friends, and was released on conditions, with his lawyer, Jonathan Regan, now allowed to appear for him.

That’s just one of the sources of deep anger and frustration expressed by Axel’s family outside the court this morning, as they navigate what they pray will be a quick resolution to the case.

But at this stage that appears unlikely, given the 5,000 pages of evidence just received and being vetted by the Crown.

The case will be called again on November 24th.