On Thursday night’s Late Show, David Letterman admitted to having “had sex with women who work with me on this show” and explained that he had testified against his alleged extortionist before a grand jury earlier that day. Now People.com is reporting new details about the alleged $2 million extortion plot. At a press conference given this morning by Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, prosecutors identified the suspect in the plot as a longtime CBS employee, 48 Hours producer Robert “Joe” Halderman, 51. According to Morgenthau, Halderman had been charged with attempted grand larceny between Sept. 9 and Sept. 30 and that on Sept. 9, Halderman waited outside Letterman’s Manhattan apartment at 6 a.m. to give him a package and say that he needed a “large chunk of money.” He was hoping to sell a “screenplay treatment,” a one-page document that mentioned “your beautiful loving son” and claimed Letterman’s “world was about to collapse around him.” He also referred to “ruined reputation and severe damage to his professional and family lives.”
Halderman allegedly said he should contact Letterman by 8 a.m. to further discuss the matter. Letterman immediately called his lawyer. The lawyer met Halderman at the Essex House hotel on Sept. 15, at which point the suspect allegedly attempted to extort $2 million from Letterman in exchange for not disclosing to the public sexual activity between the Late Show host and female employees of his program. On Sept. 30 in Connecticut, Halderman tried to cash a $2 million check Letterman’s lawyer provided and was arrested. He has been indicted on one account of Attempted Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class C felony that is punishable by up to 5 to 15 years in prison.
A search warrant (obtained by FOX 5 New York) names Letterman’s former assistant Stephanie Birkitt as one of the women involved in the case. According to the warrant, Birkitt was Halderman’s girlfriend and the package Halderman sent Letterman contained copies of parts of a diary as well as correspondence belonging to Birkitt. (EW.com interviewed Birkitt in 2002.)
An arraignment is scheduled for Friday at 2:15 p.m.
While I’m sorry David Letterman had to experience this extortion, I hope the fact that he was extorted and the sympathy he will receive from that will not overshadow his reprehensible behavior. He has been with his now wife for years, and I am very ashamed that a man I formerly had so much respect for would disrespect the woman he claims to love. And more than once.
Oh, please… get over yourself already. I’m so sick of women always condemning men who act weak to carnal temptation when women do it just as much as men do. Of course, the first thing a woman says is “she was neglected! boo hooo” but if it’s a man, then he’s a “two timing jerk” — guess what?? men AND women are both weak when it comes to sexual/physical desires. Get over it.
It’s not clear when the office affairs took place – but his wife (whom he only married this year) was no doubt aware of them. After all, she too was a Letterman staffer.
I’m always disappointed when a seemingly intelligent person gets themselves into this kind of mess because they can’t just keep it in their pants. It is idiotic to start personal, romantic relationships with your subordinates, and I would have thought Dave had more common sense. That said, he doesn’t deserve what this jackass tried to do to him, but I hope he learned from this experience.
Who would cash a check in an extortion scheme? How dumb is that?
Wow, I’m shocked! I had no idea ’48 Hours’ was still on the air.
A true Letterman-esque response. Kudos! Too bad Dave has gone the way of so many others who couldn’t keep their zippers up.
I understand that Letterman doesn’t have a halo over his head, but would anyone like to comment on the reprehensible behavior of Halderman? His behavior is another blow to whatever integrity the CBS news (infotainment?) division still has. While we don’t know the specifics of Letterman’s backstage behavior, I think it’s safe to say that, right now, Halderman looks like the bigger sleaze.
Yeah, that guy who blackmailed him. I don’t get how he thought he could get away with that…even as Letterman brought his attorney with him to those meetings. Hello, *knock knock knock* anybody in there?
They were and are still adults right?? so what is everyone’s problem – so he happened to have a blackmail attempt – could happen to anyone – except they are not on a tv show – or is it better with a football, basketball, baseball player – get a grip people – zippers are falling all across america – better check your significant other too………..