The preliminary hearing for former Hells Angels leader Maurice Boucher got underway under tight security at the courthouse in Saint-Jérôme yesterday.
Boucher and another man, René Girard, are charged with the attempted murder of a fellow inmate at the special handling unit of the Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines penitentiary in November of last year.
The two suspects were escorted under heavy guard to the courthouse and placed inside separate reinforced glass cages inside the courtroom.
Three police officers were assigned to keep an eye on them while other officers were stationed at the back of the room and in the corridors.
Both men, who are serving life terms for murder, were also handcuffed and shackled.
Anyone entering the courtroom was searched and was obliged to pass through a metal detector.
The judge has imposed a publication ban and will rule at a later date on whether the proceedings will continue at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse or at the Gouin courthouse in the north end which is linked to Bordeaux prison with a tunnel.