Hells Angels member has charges dropped ahead of SharQc mega-trial

ChristianMnardwon't stand trial for murder and conspiracynext week after the Crown confirmed the charges against the reputed member of the Hells Angels had been dropped.

• Hells Angels mega-trial postponed another week

Mnard, 37, had been charged with first-degreemurder and conspiracy to commitmurder in connection with a killing 14 years ago. He was arrested in 2009during a massive sting operation, dubbedSharQc,on the outlaw motorcycle gang.

He is reputedlyaffiliated with the Sherbrooke chapter of the Hells Angels.

The Crown has not explained why the charges have been dropped.

Sylvain Tremblay, one of the provincial police investigators who worked on the SharQCinvestigation, said he doesn't understand the decision now,after six years of waiting.

"It's disturbing and very disappointing," he said.

Only 5 out of 156 arrested face trial next week

Back in 2009, police arrested 156 people on charges ofmurder, conspiracy to commit murder, drug trafficking and gangsterismduring theSharQcoperation.

• Massive police raids target Quebec, N.B. Hells Angels

But only five accusedwill be in court when the biker mega-trial starts next week. They include:

• Claude Berger.
• SylvainVachon.
• FranoisVachon.
• YvonTanguay.
• MichelVallires.

More than 100people nabbed in the 2009 stinghave pleaded guiltyand31 others were released in 2011after a judge ruled there were unreasonable delays in their cases.

Three people have died since being charged, eight others are still at large, and several have pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the past few weeks.

The mega-trialis expected to start at the Gouincourthouse in Montreal next Monday.

It couldlast between 18 and 24 months.

Two of the accused,Robert Bonomo andJohn Coates, have a separate date for an English-language trial inJanuary 2017.