Posted by Richard Head

Wednesday November 11, 2009

ROBERT Joel “Joe” Halderman — the former CBS producer accused of attempting to extort $2 million from David Letterman — appeared in a Manhattan, New York, courtroom Tuesday, where he claimed the extortion attempt was really a “hard-driven” business deal to sell rights to a screenplay about a talk show host who “fostered an environment” of sexual harassment.

“There was no extortion,” defense attorney Gerald Shargel told reporters outside the courtroom. “This was a commercial transaction, nothing more. [Letterman's] celebrity is why we are here today.”

Letterman’s attorney, Daniel Horowitz, said he rejects the notion of a “transaction,” terming this a case of “classic blackmail … Dave Letterman is not on trial,” he said. “He is the victim in this case.

“Mr. Letterman is fully prepared to see this through to the end — including testifying at trial.”

Halderman, 51, stands accused of threatening the Late Show host in September that unless Letterman forked over the sum, his sexual relations with female staffers would be made public.

On Oct. 1, Letterman announced Halderman’s purported scheme on his CBS show.

Judge Charles Solomon set the next hearing for Jan. 19 and said he would rule on Halderman’s motion that month. Prosecutors have until Dec. 15 to file their response, People magazine reports.

Tags: david letterman