Lawyer: Halderman Wouldn't Cop Plea

And Attorney for Letterman Says His Client "Absolutely" Would Testify Vs. $2M Extortion Scheme Suspect

(CBS)  The lawyers for David Letterman and the man accused of trying to extort $2 million from him jousted verbally on "The Early Show" Wednesday, the day after a court appearance by Robert "Joe" Halderman.

The attorney for Halderman, who's a CBS News veteran, insists his client just wanted to sell a screenplay. But Letterman's lawyer says it was blackmail, and that the star is "absolutely" ready to testify in any trial of Halderman.

That prospect, observes CBS News Correspondent Kelly Cobiella, "is certainly an interesting question -- and at least right now, when no one's talking about a plea deal -- it's a possibility."

During the point-counterpoint-type discussion on the show Wednesday, Halderman's attorney said Halderman wouldn't accept a deal if one were to be offered.

The defense filed motions Tuesday seeking dismissal of the entire case, and the judge has said he'll rule on those motions in January.

Letterman has admitted on his show that Halderman "knows creepy stuff about me."

Taking the stand, notes Cobiella, could lead to more embarrassing revelations about the sexual affairs Letterman admits he had with female staffers.

And Halderman's lawyer, Gerald Shargel, says he relishes that possibility, saying outside court Tuesday, "I think any lawyer who's been out of law school for more than 15 minutes would be anxious to cross-examine Mr. Letterman."

Letterman's lawyer fired back, saying outside court that Letterman's not on trial, but is a victim of classic blackmail who's ready to testify. "Mr. Letterman is fully prepared to see this case through to the end," Daniel Horwitz told reporters.

In documents filed in court Tuesday, Halderman charges he "requested $2 million for the full rights" to a screenplay he decided to write about Letterman after he learned his then girlfriend, "Late Show" staffer Stephanie Birkitt, was having a sexual relationship with the comic. "A hard-driven, arm's-length commercial transaction does not constitute extortion," says the defense.

Letterman's attorney disagrees, describing it to reporters Tuesday as "classic blackmail, no matter how Mr. Halderman's lawyer wants to dress it up."

On "The Early Show", Shargel again insisted all of Halderman's actions constituted an effort to bring about a "legitimate business transaction," but Horvitz said "compelling evidence" would come out that Halderman was indeed trying to extort Letterman.

Horvitz said Letterman is "absolutely" ready to testify against Halderman.

And Shargel said the next thing to happen if the judge rejects the motions to dismiss the charges against Halderman would be a trial -- because Halderman wouldn't cop a plea if that possibility were to emerge.

Shargel also fielded questions from co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez about way Halderman chose to propose his "business deal" to Letterman -- by leaving an envelope in Letterman's car -- and responded to Horvitz's contention that the veteran district attorney overseeing the case wouldn't push it unless he was very confident he would win:


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[detman07]

For those who want to have justice for the way women were treated in the workplace by Mr Letterman, they should think of him as also a victim of a scam and he deserves the same protections. What in the world is CBS doing trying this case in the news? Let the system do its job and if it doesn't then bring the facts to light. For those who want justice for the way women were treated let those victims be the complaining witnesses not someone speaking for them.

[InMyHumbleOpinion]

If Letterman were anyone but Letterman, there never would have been an indictment.

[lin1945-2009]

I, for one, believe in justice but in this case I actually hope Halderman can pull off the selling rights to play/movie/book and get off without doing time. Letterman has gotten away with sexual harassment in the work place, demeaning anyone else that had an affair outside a long-term relationship or marriage . . . Letterman did both. Someone needs to make Letterman understand that what he does affects many people and he has no right to hurt his wife, in-directly their son, his mother, his sisters and the women employees that work for him. As for Birkitt, I would like to see this go to a full-blown trial and have her testify, under oath, that she has not laid with Letterman in the past 5 years and especially since March 2009.

[Dgunner]

COMIC!!! DAVID LETTERMAN CAN'T WRITE A GOOD JOKE AND DELIVERS ONE WORSE THAN BILL CLINTON DELIVERED HIS DEFENSE OF SEXUAL CONTACT WITH LEWINSKI.HIS MONOLOG IS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO ARE PAID TO TELL HIM THIS IS FUNNY USE IT . WHEN IN ACTUALITY HE IS BEING PAID TO BE STUPID FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ON HIS OWN INTELECTUAL LEVEL. WHAT THAT LEVEL IS ? PROBABLY WILL NEVER BE REVEALED. iM BETTING HIS IQ.ISN'T ABOVE 112.THAT'S PUSHING IT.

[Turbidite]

Slime, slime, slime and more slime. Aren't you guys at CBS worried about slipping on this stuff and hurting yourselves?