Quebec prosecutors won't appeal judge's decision to end trial of five Hells Angels

Quebec's headCrown prosecutor says her officewill not appeal the release of five Hells Angels arrested in a 2009 police sweep,dubbed OperationSharQc.

Annick Murphy saysthat there will be an internal investigation into the way the Crown handled the case. Sheisalsolaunching a committee to review mega-trials in general and howthey are handled.

Murphy made the announcement this morning in Montreal.

The judge in the Hells Angels mega-trial put an end to proceedings last week, releasing five men Claude Berger, Yvon Tanguay, Franois Vachon, Sylvain Vachon and Michel Vallires accused of murder and conspiracy.

Judge James Brunton ruled that some of the evidence was not properly divulged to the defence.The defence hadasked for evidence collected by the Crown as far back as 2011 but it was only provided in September 2015.

The final pair of accused, Robert Bonomo and John Coates, are scheduled to begin a separateEnglish-language trial in January of 2017.

Stphanie Valle welcomes decision

Quebec's justice minister,Stphanie Valle, applaudedthe decision.

"Iwelcome the measures put in place today to shed light on these events and ensure better management of mega-trials inthe future," the minister said in a written statement.

Valle has also asked former deputyministerMichel Bouchard tomake recommendations to coordinatejudicial resources inmega-trials so that they take a reasonable amount oftime.

SharQcsting results in 104 convictions

A totalof 156 people were arrested in 2009 on charges ofmurder, conspiracy to commit murder, drug trafficking and gangsterismduring theSharQcoperation amassive sting aimed at dismantling the outlaw motorcycle gang.

Murphy said the operationhas resulted in 104 convictions with sentences ranging from five years to life in prison.

In 2011, Bruntonordered the release of 31 of the accused because of unreasonable delays a decision that was upheld bythe Court of Appeal and then the Supreme Court.

The charges against Christian Mnard were dropped completely. He had been facing charges offirst-degreemurder and conspiracy to commitmurder in connection with a killing 14 years ago.

Crown inQuebecwon't appeal judge's decision to end trial of five Hells Angels