WINNIPEG - A member of the Hells Angels was convicted on eight of nine charges Sunday after jurors spent more than three full days weighing his fate.
The only count Ian Grant was acquitted of was a charge of participating in a criminal organization, which would have carried its own consecutive sentence with a maximum of 14 years. No one has ever been convicted of that charge in Manitoba.
Grant will now be sentenced for crimes that include three counts of drug trafficking, extortion and possession of proceeds of crime. The Crown is expected to seek a double-digit sentence.
That hearing will have to wait, however, as defence lawyer Ian Garber has made a motion asking Court of Queen's Bench Justice John Scurfield to set aside all of his client's convictions based on evidence not allowed to be presented in court.
That motion is set to be heard May 14 and will include evidence of other previous drug deals police agent Franco Atanasovic made that weren't covered during the period of the year-long police investigation.
Grant's trial was one of the longest in recent Manitoba history and jury deliberations lasted longer than many legal experts can remember.
They starting weighing his fate at 1 p.m. Thursday and spent a total of three nights sequestered, unable to reach a unanimous decision.
But that changed just after 10 a.m Sunday.
Jurors heard from a total of 43 witnesses -- some on multiple occasions -- over a 37-day period. There were also more than 150 exhibits filed, including revealing documents such as names and phone numbers of bikers around the world, profiles of rival gang members and even internal police and justice documents.
Atanasovic, whose credibility came under intense attack during the trial, is a former career criminal who was paid $525,000 to infiltrate the local Hells. He admitted to lying and even stealing from his police handlers during the sting.
Atanasovic is now in witness protection and came to court under intense security that ended up being the subject of a mistrial motion.
Garber was irate that jurors were paraded by a wall of heavily armed police officers who filled the downtown courthouse. Scurfield was also upset, as the move was a direct violation of a previous court order he had made.
The issue is likely to be raised again, now that Grant has been convicted and the case is likely headed for the Manitoba Court of Appeal.
Manitoba deputy attorney general Don Slough spoke outside court and said authorities were satisfied with the outcome of the case and the jury's verdict, even though the criminal organization charge didn't stick.
A total of 13 people were arrested in February 2006, including Grant and Hells Angels president Ernie Dew. Dew remains before the courts and is set to stand trial later this year. His wife, Vera, has already pleaded guilty to drug charges.
