Courts should know claiming compensation is not blackmail

ON FRIDAY, GUANGDONG PROVINCIAL HIGH PEOPLE'S COURT acquitted Guo Li, who had been convicted and imprisoned for the crime of blackmail in January 2010 after he asked for 3 million yuan ($434,973) in compensation from a dairy company whose milk was found to have been contaminated with melamine, which he said was responsible for his 2-year-old daughter's kidney problems. Beijing News comments:

Why did the local court find Guo guilty in 2010? Its verdict, which was posted online, listed three reasons: First, he intended to illegally occupy others' property. Second, he threatened to tell the media the whole thing. Third, he asked for a huge amount of money.

Some reports also said he was found guilty because he had already received 400,000 yuan in compensation from the dairy company and agreed to let the matter rest there. But afterwards he regretted settling for so little and demanded more.