"Extorting ... or negotiating a reward?

Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian alleges in a lawsuit that a California couple who found his lost BlackBerry threatened to sell it to the "highest bidder" unless he gave them $30,000.

But a California attorney who briefly represented the couple said he thinks Berrian's representatives are trying to make more of the case than what it was. Clinton Killian, an Oakland lawyer who said he worked on behalf of Clarice Lankford and Ronald R. Jones "for about a day and a half," said Berrian's manager "was more interested in manufacturing an extortion claim against these people than to ensure the safe return of his client's property."

The trouble started in October, when Berrian left his BlackBerry smart phone atop an ATM in Las Vegas, according to court documents. Berrian returned after about 20 minutes, but the BlackBerry was gone. In his suit, Berrian said he had financial and account information and his Social Security number on the device."