China's Melamine-Tainted Milk Scandal: Sentences and Compensation

Yesterday, Chinese courts handed down sentences in proceedings against 21 defendants who were charged with involvement in the country's recent scandal regarding melamine-tainted milk. Sentences ranged from execution to prison time, with the heaviest penalities for 3 men.

• Zhang Yujun, a Hebei province dairy farmer (described by the court as the single largest source of melamine in the country), received the death penalty for "producing and selling poisonous food" or "endangering public security." Zhang reportedly produced 776 metric tons of melamine, 600 of which were added to milk. The court charged that he made $1.26 million in the process.
• Geng Jinping, a small dairy operator in Zhengding County, Hebei province, received the death penalty for "producing and selling poisonous food" or "endangering public security." The court claimed that Jinping added melamine to raw milk and sold "hundreds of tons" of the product to Sanlu, the Chinese dairy-products company.
• Gao Junje, a small business operator, received the death penalty for "producing and selling poisonous food" or "endangering public security." Junje's death sentence was suspended for 2 years.
• Tian Wenhua, 66, former chairwoman of the now-bankrupt Sanlu, received life in prison for "producing and selling shoddy goods." Wenhua pleaded guilty to the charge and was also fined $4.5 million. Some affected parents are reportedly upset that Wenhua was not sentenced to death for her role in the scandal.
• Three former (unnamed) Sanlu executives received 5-15-year prison terms for "producing and selling shoddy goods."

The group of 22 implicated dairies is also offering 200,000 yuan (~$30,000 USD) to parents of a dead child, 30,000 yuan (~$4400) to children with severe kidney stones, and 2000 yuan (~$290) to less severe cases. Total compensation would run to 1.1 billion yuan (~$160 million). State-run television indicates that 90% of families have taken the time-limited and government-backed financial compensation. However, the Toronto Star reports that hundreds of affected parents have rejected the offers.

Melamine, a fake protein additive, in baby formula caused the deaths of at least 6 Chinese infants and sickened nearly 300,000 last year, according to various news sources. But lawyers for the affected families suggest that as many as 10 children died after consuming melamine-laced milk. The Chinese Health Ministry admits that more than 300 affected infants remain hospitalized.

Sources: Toronto Star; China Daily; AP

Depiction of melamine chemical structure from Wikipedia.