A farmer was sentenced to death with a stay of execution and deprived of his political rights for life by the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court Wednesday after being found guilty of arson and poisoning in Beijing.
Liu Dasuo, a 46-year-old farmer of the city's Daxing District, committed the crimes as a method of revenge against neighbors he had been in conflict with.
He set fires in a neighboring farm, a house owned by his neighbor, surnamed Sun, and the vegetable greenhouse of another neighbor, surnamed Run, from 1994 to 1997, causing a total economic loss of over 270,000 yuan (US$24,100 US dollars).
In March and July of 1997, Liu, in collusion with his friend Han Xinmin, poisoned two cows belonging to a neighbor, surnamed Lu, and poisoned 32 cows belonging to a collective cattle farm, leading to a loss of about 290,000 yuan (US$34,9000).
Liu was also found to have committed many thefts of agricultural goods and equipment at various times.
(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2003)
