BIKER NEWS: Mega biker-gang trial: another setback for police

BN- More bikers charged with crimes including murder and criminal conspiracy are free today as a judge ordered a surprising end to their cases.

The mega-trial of five bikers was part of a massive police investigation into the Hells Angels investigation in Quebec dubbed Operation SharQc. It resulted in the arrests of 156 gang members and associates in 2009.

Some 105 have since pleaded guilty to a number of lesser charges to avoid a trial,

However the operation has seen a number of setbacks, and disappointments for police.

In this latest setback, Judge James L Brunton of Quebec Superior Court ordered a sudden dismissal of the trial of 5 gangmembers, over “abuses” by the Crown. The case involved the murder of Sylvain Reed.

The defence team said the Crown had held back evidence despite a clear order to do so from a different judge in 2012, and that they had only received a key piece of evidence in September. They said the Crown failed to inform the defence that one of its key witnesses, a biker turned informant, had presented two completely different versions of which bikers were involved in the murder.

The five bikers appeared elated at being released.

In August, gang member Emery Martin was sentenced to 15 years 8 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, but then was immediately released. He had been held in jail since 2009, and was released because his pre-trial time was considered double-time.

Also in August Christian Menard walked free after charges against him were dropped. Ménard, 37, had been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with a killing 14 years ago. There was no word on why the charges were dropped.

Some 31 other bikers were released in 2011 after a judge ruled there had been unreasonable delays in their cases.

Another three people have died since being charged, while eight others are still at large.

Source: http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/10/09/mega-biker-gang-trial-another-setback-for-police/