Comments on: Client, lawyer charged with extortion over settlement talks

By: Jack Olson

Jack Olson — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:46:25 +0000

As near as I can tell, Bill Poser, blackmail is the threat to reveal substantially true information about another person. To demand money by threatening to publish substantially false information could be criminal extortion even in places where libel itself isn’t a crime. I can understand why a state would treat citizens defaming each other as a civil matter between them but treat the demand for money through threat of libel as a criminal shakedown.

By: Bill Poser

Bill Poser — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 06:20:14 +0000

What’s the basis for charging extortion rather than blackmail? In most jurisdictions, extortion requires a threat to commit a criminal act. Revealing damaging information may be a tort but is not generally a crime.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:09:07 +0000

Maybe these two should stop doing business together.