David Letterman extortion suspect threatened to write book
2009-10-16

Category Extortion Nations U.S. City New York City States New York Category Regions County Manhattan TV Programs Late Show with David Letterman Source (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A television producer charged with attempting to extort $2 million from U.S. talk-show host David Letterman threatened to write a book about the TV star's affairs with employees, court documents showed on Thursday.

A Connecticut judge ordered the release of law enforcement affidavits and a list of evidence taken from the home of Joe Halderman, a producer for CBS news show "48 Hours" who is charged with attempted grand larceny in the case.

According to one affidavit, Halderman told Letterman's lawyers in a meeting at a Manhattan hotel that he planned to "write the book and publicize the information" if he was not paid. He was arrested later after depositing a phony $2 million check into his bank account.

Photographs, a letter, video and audio tapes, a computer hard drive and other items were removed from Halderman's Norwalk, Connecticut home, according to court documents.

Earlier this month, Letterman, 62, admitted on his "Late Show with David Letterman" he had sex with women who worked on the program. He told his audience he went to officials after receiving a package threatening to reveal details.

Prosecutors said Halderman appeared at Letterman's Manhattan home on September 9 and left a package in the comedian's car with a one-page screenplay outlining the affairs and a letter demanding "a large chunk of money."

Halderman has pleaded innocent to the charges.

(Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)