Charlottesville attorney accused of extortion given more time to hire lawyer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (WVIR) - A Charlottesville attorney accused of attempted extortion briefly appeared in a federal courtroom Monday.

Timothy Litzenburg is charged with attempted extortion for allegedly threatening legal action against an unnamed company if it did not pay him and his associates $200 million in "consulting fees."

A federal judge granted Litzenburg’s request for a delay Monday, December 23. A preliminary hearing set for next week is now scheduled for January 6, giving the defendant more time to find a lawyer.

Litzenburg is currently involved in litigation with Monsanto about health risks related to its weed killer, Roundup.