Quebec Judge lets 31 accused HA's bikers free

[oneh2obabe]

The Canadian Press

MONTREAL - Nearly three-dozen alleged members of the notorious Hells Angels biker gang walked out of a courthouse and into freedom Tuesday, exchanging hugs and smiling after a judge ordered their release.

The 31 accused were set free — not over questions of guilt or innocence, but because it took too long to put them on trial.

The bombshell announcement prompted accusations that the Quebec justice system, already struggling with funding and workload issues, has tumbled into total disarray.

Quebec Superior Court Justice James Brunton said the justice system is simply unable to provide the labour needed to try the 155 alleged bikers rounded up in a massive 2009 police crackdown.

The operation, dubbed Operation SharQc, involved raids by the RCMP, and provincial and municipal police with arrests in Quebec, New Brunswick, France and the Dominican Republic.

The judge criticized the provincial justice minister and director of criminal prosecutions for simply assuming the justice system could handle such a large and complex case.

The judge said the delays would have prevented the accused from having fair trials. Defence lawyers insist it could take 10 years before the last of the accused goes to trial.

Brunton noted the lack of courtrooms for the trials was a problem.

"These people have been accused for two years," he wrote in his judgment. "And it was only last week that the justice minister announced that measures would be undertaken to have six new courtrooms.

"It's not in 2011 that you announce six new courtrooms for multiple trials, it must be done before."

Later Tuesday, the Crown announced it would appeal the decision to release the suspects — who account for precisely one-fifth of the accused rounded up in the 2009 raids.

The provincial opposition was scathing in its criticism.

"This is clearly a total failure of the criminal justice system unfolding before our eyes today and that failure is very clear," said Veronique Hivon, justice critic for the Parti Quebecois.

"There was a total failure, total improvisation and total lack of management of the SharQc mega-trial," she told a news conference at the provincial legislature.

Quebec's judicial system has been beset with problems in recent months.

The province's Crown prosecutors had to be ordered back to work after they went on strike in the spring, complaining they had a crushing workload and that they were underpaid compared to their counterparts in other provinces.

The two-week strike paralyzed the provincial justice system and prompted the resignations of several senior prosecutors.

The government promised to eventually hire more prosecutors.

Charges against the total 155 accused include murder, gangsterism, drug trafficking and conspiracy.

About 2,200 witnesses have been called and if evidence contained on four computer discs was printed out, it would stretch 145 kilometres.

The cases of 124 other accused have been divided into five mega-trials.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/judge-lets-31- ... 05105.html

[Captain Awesome]

Something tells me we'll have the same problem in BC very soon (if not already)...

I'm sure Steven Lloyd knows a thing or two about it.

[Relentless]

They shouldn't even be wasting time with HA's.
These HA's should have just gone missing, just like all of them should.

[oneh2obabe]

They shouldn't even be wasting time with HA's.
These HA's should have just gone missing, just like all of them should.

So you're saying they're guilty and to hell with having a trial? Justice system doesn't work like that. Everybody is entitled to a trial, whether you agree with it or not.

[Relentless]

The HA's are guilty of organized crime.
All of them should go missing just for being part of a gang of criminals who just want the world to know they are a motorcycle club.
Canada needs new laws strictly for Outlaw biker types.

The new laws should not allow any gangsters the right to a trial, as they do not believe in following laws.
Canada would be a much nicer place without gangster scum buckets, such as them.

Letting criminals go free (without trying them), was a waste of millions of dollars, and the same undesireable trash is still doing what they do best, being criminal.
So quite waisting money on these freaks who do not live by the same laws as the rest of us.

[oneh2obabe]

The HA's are guilty of organized crime.
All of them should go missing just for being part of a gang of criminals who just want the world to know they are a motorcycle club.
Canada needs new laws strictly for Outlaw biker types.

The new laws should not allow any gangsters the right to a trial, as they do not believe in following laws.
Canada would be a much nicer place without gangster scum buckets, such as them.

Letting criminals go free (without trying them), was a waste of millions of dollars, and the same undesireable trash is still doing what they do best, being criminal.
So quite waisting money on these freaks who do not live by the same laws as the rest of us.

There's a judge who disagrees with you, and that decision was handed down after a marathon trial.
http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/artic ... trial?bn=1

You want to establish new laws that won't allow trials for certain individuals? Great ... walk all over human rights because you feel a certain segment of the population is guilty. Hell, why not take it one step further and throw everybody who breaks the law into jail without a trial no matter what they did?

[Relentless]

We need new policies for those who possess restricted weapons, sell drugs, and ride bikes that are the loudest POS on the road.
Not new laws, new policies.
Called the removal policy.

You can't practice law on criminals that are so deep into everything, and have judges, cops and lawyers fearful for their lives if they convict outlaw types. The legal system should not apply for the 1%ers.

[oneh2obabe]

We need new policies for those who possess restricted weapons, sell drugs, and ride bikes that are the loudest POS on the road.
Not new laws, new policies.
Called the removal policy.

You can't practice law on criminals that are so deep into everything, and have judges, cops and lawyers fearful for their lives if they convict outlaw types. The legal system should not apply for the 1%ers.

And exactly what would this removal policy entail? Sounds like you want a two-tier system ... one for those you deem acceptable and one for those you deem unworthy. According to you, anyone who rides a loud bike (and we know which one you're talking about) is a hardened criminal? Could it be a person likes the looks and sound of that make and enjoys riding?

So I guess in your world a business executive who sells drugs from his ivory tower office shouldn't be worried about your "removal policy" as he doesn't drive a POS bike.

You'd be surprised how many of those fearful cops have these "people" on their cell phone speed dial. You think the cops working drugs want the "drug war" to end? Not a chance ... it would put a big hole in their annual budget.

Question for you ... a group of cops working the drug scene are shaking down dealers and businesses by offering them their "protection" for a percentage of the drug money each month. When they get caught, do they stand trial or do you throw the book away and judge them guilty?