Levi Cayen is on trial for murder in a Northern town where all rumours, gossip and hearsay are banned in court.

Without small talk to explain tensions and relationships surrounding the death of Alex Norwegian, CayenSA国际影视传媒檚 defence lawyers took a risk.

They called a former drug dealer to the stand: Adam Desrosiers, whose clear and matter-of-fact testimony shed some light on what happened near Hay River on Christmas Day in 2017.

On March 1, Justice Shannon Smallwood confirmed with counsel in the Supreme Court that the jury is to only hear SA国际影视传媒渄irect knowledgeSA国际影视传媒� during this five-week trial.

Smallwood adjusted daily hearings to start at 9 a.m. instead of the standard 9:30 a.m. start, and shortened lunch breaks to play catch-up after Covid-19 delays and two parking lot fires at the courthouse in the last two weeks.

SEE: Second vehicle fire at Yellowknife courthouse in as many weeks

On Tuesday, a former dealer and associate of both the victim and accused, took the stand and underwent cross-examination.

Via video link from another room in the courthouse, Desrosiers appeared with a fresh haircut and black shirt.

CayenSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer, Alan Regel, asked Desrosiers if he had turned his life around.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been doing my best,SA国际影视传媒� said Desrosiers. SA国际影视传媒淎ddiction is a brutal battle.SA国际影视传媒�

Desrosiers said heSA国际影视传媒檚 no longer selling crack, and Regel acknowledged his attempts to improve his life.

SA国际影视传媒淚s it your belief that addicts will do almost anything for crack?SA国际影视传媒� Regel asked Desrosiers.

SA国际影视传媒淣o, actually, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not,SA国际影视传媒� said Desrosiers. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 believe drugs make you do anything. You know right from wrong. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just sheer greed.SA国际影视传媒�

On Christmas Day in 2017, Norwegian showed up to DesrosiersSA国际影视传媒� home and asked him to cook some crack.

Even though they ran in different circles, Desrosiers wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 surprised to see Norwegian at his door.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had lots of dope. I had lots of money, and there were a lot of people trying to be in my life at the time,SA国际影视传媒� he told the court.

Plus, he had a reputation for cooking a good batch.

At times during questioning, Desrosiers smiled or laughed, not in a manner of disrespect but due to the amusement of trying to explain crack addiction in formal terms for the court.

An example was when Regel asked him if he SA国际影视传媒渟tashedSA国际影视传媒� his drugs away to keep them safe.

SA国际影视传媒淵eah, obviously,SA国际影视传媒� Desrosiers laughed.

While at DesrosiersSA国际影视传媒� house, Norwegian, 25, appeared SA国际影视传媒減aranoidSA国际影视传媒� and misplaced and found his own stash three times.

Desrosiers said NorwegianSA国际影视传媒檚 behaviour wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 unusual for a crack smoker: SA国际影视传媒淧eople do some SA国际影视传媒� messed up things when they are high,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Through his cross-examination, Regel attempted to understand NorwegianSA国际影视传媒檚 state of mind shortly before his death.

He began partying on the Hay River Reserve, which Desrosiers SA国际影视传媒渇ound odd.SA国际影视传媒� Norwegian had gone from SA国际影视传媒渓aid back, easy goingSA国际影视传媒� to SA国际影视传媒減aranoid and uneasySA国际影视传媒� he added.

Norwegian was concerned about making money and SA国际影视传媒渉eading south,SA国际影视传媒� but Desrosiers remained tight-lipped on names and groups, and Regel didnSA国际影视传媒檛 push him.

SA国际影视传媒淭his whole thing could be a danger to myself,SA国际影视传媒� Desrosiers reminded the court, reiterating that he would provide information necessary to this case, and nothing more.

After NorwegianSA国际影视传媒檚 body was discovered on Dec. 28, 2017, Desrosiers ran into a group of locals at The Rooster, a convenience store on the Mackenzie Highway.

He later told police they were SA国际影视传媒渁cting sketchy,SA国际影视传媒� although he couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 recall in court how many or exactly who was there.

After NorwegianSA国际影视传媒檚 body was found, Desrosiers received text messages from one of co-accused that made him even more suspicious.

After a 15-minute break, defence lawyer T煤 Pham took over questioning Desrosiers and reiterated that he wanted SA国际影视传媒渄irect knowledge only,SA国际影视传媒� not rumours or hearsay.

The court heard that after NorwegianSA国际影视传媒檚 body was discovered, Roy Norwegian visited DesrosiersSA国际影视传媒� home on Dec. 28 and 29 and appeared to be conducting his own investigation into his sonSA国际影视传媒檚 death, including asking to see DesrosiersSA国际影视传媒� truck tires.

Desrosiers said Roy was SA国际影视传媒渓ooking for answers.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 blame him. I would too,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Later, one of the co-accused came over and mentioned he helped Alex out of the snowbank just hours before he died.

Desrosiers told him Roy had been over and wanted to speak with him. The co-accused then left, after realizing SA国际影视传媒渉e put himself at the scene and became squeamish.SA国际影视传媒�

Against his street code, Desrosiers took what he knew to the police.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 very frowned upon in the drug world to be co-operating with the ,SA国际影视传媒� Desrosiers laughed.

He didnSA国际影视传媒檛 even want people to see his truck parked outside of the police station.

Acting on what he called a SA国际影视传媒済ut feeling,SA国际影视传媒� he said, SA国际影视传媒淚t was way too close to home. It really bothered meSA国际影视传媒� I did the right thing.SA国际影视传媒�

Correction: T煤 Pham was misidentified in a previous version of this story. Yellowknifer apologizes for the error and any confusion or embarrassment it may have caused.