The appearance of Ōtūmoetai man Casino Heta Williams, who is accused of being a party to the killing after the fact, was excused.
At today's pre-trial callover hearing Justice Duffy heard the crown's witness list had doubled from 44 in July to a proposed 90.
Justice Duffy queried whether the growing witness list could affect the length of the trial, which is set down for six weeks starting on May 6.
Crown lawyer Hayley Sheridan argued it would not affect the trial length as the growing number had been taken into account when the trial date was set.
Justice Duffy asked the crown to provide a full, confirmed list of witnesses to be called during trial by the next callover on March 15.
"The crown's list of proposed witnesses now stands at 90. This seems to me to carry the potential to impact on the estimated trial duration."
Justice Duffy also asked the crown to file a number of other things including transcripts of phone calls it may use as evidence and a summary of evidence to be provided by a gang expert so the defence could respond.
She said she was concerned whether the trial would be ready to proceed at the May date currently set down.
The trial length will be revisited at the next call over. If it was extended, the trial start date may might change.
Jeffries-Smith has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and he is set to defend the allegation at a jury trial.
The crown has also charged Jeffries-Smith with seven methamphetamine and cannabis offences.
Williams' accessory charge relates to him allegedly providing Jeffries-Smith with a new SIM card, discarding his clothes and guiding him about what to say to police between January 1 and 5 last year.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge in the High Court at Tauranga in November.
Williams has also denied a further charge of the unlawful possession of a .22 Ruger semi-automatic rifle.
