A CBS News employee is out of jail on bond after pleading not guilty to trying to blackmail David Letterman for $2 million. The plot spurred the TV host to acknowledge on the air that he had sexual relationships with female staffers on his show.

Robert J. Halderman entered his plea as he was arraigned on an attempted grand larceny charge Friday in a Manhattan court. He posted the $200,000 bail and was released from custody. Prosecutors say Halderman demanded $2 million last month in exchange for not releasing information that would ruin Letterman's reputation. Letterman told his viewers Thursday that the threat concerned sexual liaisons with female staffers. Halderman is a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours."

Letterman said he found a package of embarrassing e-mails and photos in his limousine. His attorney took the evidence to the prosecutor's office, which set up an undercover sting at a hotel. New York police detectives were in an adjoining room with recording equipment and surveillance.