A judge in New Mexico has thrown out charges against actor Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” related to alleged criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited errors and misconduct by prosecutors that compromised the grand jury process. The decision to dismiss the indictment was granted by State District Judge Joseph Montano after a defense motion was approved and made public on Friday.
Busfield has consistently denied the accusations, labeling them as falsehoods driven by a desire for retaliation. It remains uncertain whether prosecutors will pursue a new indictment in the case.
The allegations stem from Busfield’s time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024. Parents of twin boys who were part of the show claimed that Busfield had inappropriately touched their children while on set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One of the boys reported to authorities that Busfield had touched his private areas over his clothing when he was seven and eight years old on separate occasions.
The twin brother of the first boy also disclosed that Busfield had touched him, but did not provide details and refrained from speaking up as he feared getting into trouble.
Busfield surrendered himself and was subsequently released on bail pending trial. The judge who handled his release found no previous instances of similar allegations or criminal behavior involving children in Busfield’s history. However, a grand jury indictment was later issued, alleging that Busfield had engaged in inappropriate touching on multiple occasions.
Busfield’s legal team pointed out inconsistencies in the children’s initial statements to the police, highlighting potential coaching by their parents after the boys lost their roles on the show.
During court proceedings, Busfield’s attorneys argued that prosecutors had disregarded the lack of evidence and hindered the grand jury from hearing crucial testimonies. The defense claimed that prosecutors created unnecessary obstacles and misled jurors about witness testimonies.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Greer Staley countered these arguments, asserting that the defense failed to follow proper evidence submission procedures and accused Busfield of attempting to influence the grand jurors excessively in his favor during his testimony.
In his defense, Busfield emphasized the impact of the allegations on his life and family, stating that he had suffered professional setbacks as a result. He vehemently denied the accusations of inappropriate behavior towards the children.
The indictment against Busfield carried potential penalties of up to six years in prison per count.