MONTREAL - Charges appear to have been dropped against three people arrested in a now-infamous incident involving a controversial Montreal police officer.
Three suspects arrested by Const. Stefanie Tremblay — best known locally as "Officer 728" — have been informed by the Crown prosecutor's office that the proof was insufficient to proceed with the case.
That's according to the men's lawyer, Denis Poitras. He tells The Canadian Press that a court appearance scheduled Wednesday has been cancelled, as have their bail conditions.
The incident involved a local officer who became famous during the spring for pepper-spraying a number of student demonstrators who appeared to pose no threat to her.
More recently, that same officer saw a man sipping a beer by the doorway of an apartment building and she demanded to see his identification papers. He asked why, and refused, and she arrested him. When one of his friends intervened, he was put in a headlock, dragged down the stairs and arrested him, too.
The Oct. 2 incident concluded with 20 police cars called to the apartment block.
But there was a surprise twist in the incident: Cellphones recorded it. And, even though Tremblay confiscated several phones, one still recorded her describing the events while delivering a profane rant about "guitar-plucking" artists who live in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood.
