Section 291 - Extortion defined.

Whoever intentionally puts any person in fear of any injury to that person or to any other and thereby dishonestly induces the person so put in fear to deliver to a person any property or document of title or anything signed or sealed which may be converted into a valuable security, commits extortion. Illustrations. (a) A threatens to publish a defamatory libel concerning Z, unless Z gives him money. He thus induces Z to give him money. A has committed extortion.

(b) A threatens Z that he will keep Z's child in wrongful confinement unless Z will sign and deliver to A a promissory note binding Z to pay certain monies to A. Z signs and delivers the note. A has committed extortion.

(c) A threatens to send men to pull up Z's crops unless Z will sign and deliver to B a bond binding Z under a penalty to deliver certain produce to B and thereby induces Z to sign and deliver the bond. A has committed extortion.

(e) A, not pretending to be a judicial officer, usurps the functions of a court by unlawfully using his position in the community to force Z to pay a fine to him under threat of injury. A has committed extortion.