And what happened to Joe Halderman?

All over. Next.

http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts...2.1547848.html

Mar 10, 2010 5:02 am US/Eastern
Letterman Shakedown Ends With Guilty Plea
Former '48 Hours' Producer Robert "Joe" Halderman Takes 6-Month Jail Sentence On Grand Larceny Charge
NEW YORK (CBS) ―

After first claiming that he was originally offering "Late Show" host David Letterman a screenplay for $2 million, Robert "Joe" Halderman, an ex-producer for "48 Hours Mystery" on CBS, pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempted grand larceny in the second degree.

"I apologize to Mr. Letterman, his family, to Stephanie Birkitt, her family, and certainly to my friend and family. I will not be doing interviews. Thank you for your patience," Halderman said after entering the plea.

Halderman admitted to trying to shake down Letterman last fall by demanding the $2 million for what he claimed was a story about a talk show host who had affairs with female staff members. It turned out one of them was Halderman's live-in girlfriend, Birkitt. The bizarre blackmail case forced Letterman to make embarrassing on-air disclosures.

"I have had sex with women who work for me on this show," Letterman revealed to his audience.

Halderman made admissions in court and was sentenced to six months in jail, five years probation, and 1,000 hours of community service. Halderman's attorney is Gerald Shargel.

"We had a novel defense here involving complicated legal issues. I was very excited about the defense, but it would be a long road ahead of us," Shargel said.

Letterman's attorney, Daniel Horowitz, read a statement from Letterman in which he praised the Manhattan District Attorney's office and the NYPD:

"I had complete faith that a just and appropriate result was inevitable. On behalf of my family, I am extremely grateful for their tireless efforts," he said.

Halderman had claimed he just offered Letterman a chance to buy -- and keep private -- a thinly-veiled screenplay about his life.