Brodie Jake Dewar, 20, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter on Wednesday after he allegedly attacked Mr Picton, 36, in Northbridge, in Perth's inner city, in the early hours of December 27.
Prosecutors discontinued a grievous bodily harm charge, which was related to the same alleged incident.
Dewar's family and friends shepherded the 20-year-old from Stirling Magistrates Court after his 12 strict bail conditions were renewed.
He declined to answer reporters' questions and is scheduled to reappear in the same court on May 27.
Mr Picton's widow, Priya Brown, was also at the court for the hearing and did not speak to waiting media outside the court.
Her husband's death triggered an outpouring of grief from his family, friends and colleagues, as tributes flowed from the prime minister, several premiers and business leaders.
Mr Picton, who has been lauded as a brilliant political tactician, had advised state and federal politicians and helped guide WA Labor to a landslide 2021 election victory.
A Perth court has previously heard Mr Picton was ejected from the Paramount Nightclub due to intoxication.
Dewar and Mr Picton came face-to-face several minutes later near the venue.
Dewar allegedly struck Mr Picton in the face, and he fell to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement.
Mr Picton died in hospital several weeks later.
The incident was recorded on CCTV.
Prosecutors on Wednesday also discontinued Dewar's charge of causing bodily harm related to an incident in the Perth suburb of Kalamunda on December 25.
Dewar last week pleaded guilty in Armadale Magistrates Court to assault occasioning bodily harm over the incident.
A Perth court previously heard Dewar punched a man in his 40s to the ground shortly after midnight after an incident involving the younger man's sister.
Dewar then recorded the man lying on the ground with his mobile phone and said "don't hit on my sister" and "bro, keep snoring", the court was told.
Dewar then used the heavily intoxicated man's phone to call him an Uber after his friends helped him.
The man suffered minor injuries and later told police he didn't remember the incident, which was recorded on CCTV.
Dewar is scheduled to reappear in Armadale court for sentencing on May 6 over the Kalamunda incident.
24°C