David Letterman's Would Be Extorsionist Pleaded Guilty
ROBERT HALDERMAN . . . the TV producer accused of trying to extort $2 million from DAVID LETTERMAN . . . pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny.
--It was part of a plea deal that will spare him a lengthy prison sentence. Halderman is getting SIX MONTHS behind bars and 1,000 hours of community service. If he'd fought the case and lost, he was looking at up to 15 years in prison.
--Halderman even copped to the scheme in court, telling the judge, quote, "I have great remorse and sincerely apologize to David Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt. I attempted to extort $2 million from David Letterman."
--Halderman tried to shake down Letterman when he found out that Birkitt . . . who was his live-in girlfriend and an employee of "The Late Show" at the time . . . was "taking dictation", so to speak, from the boss.
--At the time, he told Dave he was writing a SCREENPLAY about Dave's many workplace affairs . . . and would give him first crack at "buying the rights" in order to keep it from coming out.
--But Dave immediately went to the authorities, who set up a sting operation and nailed Halderman. Then Dave went public with his affairs . . . and apologized to his wife, Regina Lasko.
--Dave thanked the authorities last night on "The Late Show". He said, quote, "I found myself in some legal trouble, and pretty quickly, it was turned over to the District Attorney's office here in Manhattan.
--"Now, I'd never been involved in anything like this in my life, and I was concerned, and full of anxiety, and nervous and worried.
--"And the people in the District Attorney's office said, 'This will be handled professionally, this will be handled skillfully, and appropriately.'
--"Well, the matter was resolved today, and they were exactly right . . . it was handled professionally, skillfully and appropriately."
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