Time Reduced In China ATM Case
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
BEIJING — A security guard who received a life sentence on bank robbery charges for withdrawing more than $24,000 from a defective ATM saw his sentence reduced yesterday to five years. The retrial followed widespread outrage on the Internet, which prompted the Chinese court to reconsider its decision.
The Guangdong Intermediate People’s Court in southern China also ruled yesterday that Xu Ting, who has served 10 months, must pay a $2,850 fine and the full amount amassed during his 171 visits to the defective machine in April 2006.
“My son must be happy to have the pressure lifted from his shoulders,” said Xu Cailing, Mr. Xu’s father, after the decision was announced. “But for myself, I think it is still unjust and can’t accept this decision. There shouldn’t be any punishment.”
Although Xu Ting said in court he was happy with the new sentence, his family is considering an appeal. His lawyer said it was not clear whether the younger Mr. Xu was pressured by his jailers to stop challenging the system.
