Letterman Extortion Case: Joe Halderman Enters Guilty Plea
Joe Halderman, the CBS news producer entered a guilty plea and will serve six months in jail after being accused of trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman over his sexual affairs.
According to the New York Times, Joe Halderman entered a guilty plea under a plea agreement in the Letterman extortion case. In exchange for his guilty plea, he was given a reduced prison sentence -- 1000 hours of community service and four and a half years probation.
The attempted extortion charges originally carried a maximum of 7 years. In general, extortion is the obtaining of property from another induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right.
Joe Halderman, an award-winning television producer was for 48 Hours Mystery. He was suspended with pay by CBS pending legal developments.
As previously discussed he was facing top charges of grand larceny which carried a maximum of 15 years in prison.
Here is Halderman's criminal indictment on charges of attempted grand larceny in the first degree by extortion.
Joe Halderman tried to extort Letterman over three weeks, starting September 9, 2009 and ending September 30, 2009, as previously discussed.
Prosecutors say the financially strapped Halderman threatened to reveal information he learned from reading in his then-girlfriend's diary that she was involved with Letterman, her boss.
The "Late Show" host disclosed the extortion case to viewers and acknowledging he had affairs with women on his staff.
Letterman's lawyer ultimately gave Halderman a phony $2 million check. The producer was arrested after depositing it.
- Letterman avoids trial as ex-CBS producer pleads guilty in extortion case (Washington Post)
- Letterman Extortion Case Dismissal Denied by Judge (Bloomberg)
- Letterman Extortion: Producer Busted; What is Extortion? (FindLaw)
- Criminal Defense FAQ (provided by The Law Office of Mark J. Sacco, PLLC)
- Criminal Law Overview (provided by Terry W. Yates & Associates)