Halderman Wants Extortion Case Dropped

Lawyer says he just wanted to sell Letterman a screenplay
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 10, 2009 10:32 AM CST
Halderman Wants Extortion Case Dropped
In a Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 pool file photo, Robert J. Halderman appears in State Supreme Court in New York.   (AP Photo/Pool, Marc A. Hermann, File)

Accused blackmailer Robert Halderman went to court today, and his lawyer is asking for the extortion case against him to be dismissed. In court papers, Halderman’s attorney writes, "The sensationalism surrounding this indictment, fueled by the celebrity of the purported victim and the deference paid to that celebrity by the District Attorney's Office, has swallowed the only pertinent issue"—namely, whether there's enough evidence to support the case.

His attorney also claims David Letterman was guilty of “actionable sexual harassment” and that Halderman engaged him in “a pure commercial transaction” by simply trying to sell him exclusive screenplay rights, TMZ reports. (More David Letterman stories.)

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