2 condemned to death in China tainted milk scandal.
A Chinese court condemned two men to death on Thursday and gave a dairy boss life in prison in the first sentences handed down in the tainted milk scandal, which ignited public anger and accusations of cover-ups.
The sentences and a recent announcement of a compensation plan for the victims appear to be part of a government bid to put an end to the crisis.
In a reflection of the trial's sensitivity, dozens of police guarded the courthouse and cordoned off the surrounding area with plastic barriers. Officers told the victims' families to keep about 100 yards away.
Investigations showed that middlemen who sold milk to dairy companies were watering down raw milk, then mixing in the ****** industrial chemical melamine in dairy products to make them appear to have higher protein content.
