Nick Chan not guilty in gang-war murder at Bolsa Restaurant

NickChantheaccused leader of one of Calgary's most notorious and deadly gangshas been found not guilty in the death ofSanjeevMann at theBolsaRestaurant in Calgary in 2009.

Chan was a key figure arrested during the Calgary Police Service's largest gang investigation ever, which wasdubbed Operation Desino.

The jury rendered the verdict Tuesday morning after about five hours of total deliberation that began late Monday afternoon.

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Desino involved granting several confessed killers immunity or partial immunity in exchange for their testimony against Chan.

The Crown's star witness, who can only be identified asGH, was arecipient of one of the deals. Headmitted to killing rival gangsters andwill be eligible for parole in May.

The case was heavily weighted on his testimony, which Chan's lawyer was highly critical of throughout the trialand in hisclosing arguments to the jury.

GH was the only witness to implicate Chan as the one who instructed the killing of Mann, who was the intended target in the triplemurderat theBolsaRestaurant on Jan. 1, 2009.

The Crown said during the trial thattheattackhad beenorchestrated by Chan, a leader of theFresh Off the Boat (FOB)gang, as part of a brutal war with thegang's fierce rivals, the FOB Killers (FK).

The gang war betweenFOBand FKleft 25 people dead between 2002 and2009.

'We respect the verdict'

"We put the best case forward that we could in front of the jury," Crown prosecutor Adam May said after the verdict was issued.

"They didn't agree with our framing of the evidence, but we respect the verdict."

May said Calgary police "did an amazing investigation" and he didn't think there was anything more investigators or the Crown could have done.

CBC News contactedCalgary police for a comment but receiveda written statement.

"The Calgary Police Service respects the decision of the jury in the case of Nicholas Chan.As Mr. Chan is currently before the courts on other matters, the CPS is unable to comment further on this issue."

Two other gangsters have already pleaded guilty to killing the other two people who died in the shooting:Mann's associate Aaron Bendleand Keni Su'a,an innocent bystander.

Defence attorneyDick Cairns said he believes justice was done.

"I believe in the jury system," Cairns said."I don't believe anybody should be convicted of anything on theevidence of people like [GH], who's a multiple murderer."

Chan remains in custody and still faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and instructing a criminal organization in relation to the death of Kevin Anayain anothergang-related killing.

Chan'strial in that matter is set for October 2017.