A judge in New Mexico has thrown out a case against actor Timothy Busfield, known for roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” where he was accused of criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited issues with the grand jury process and prosecutorial misconduct as reasons for dismissing the indictment.
The decision by State District Judge Joseph Montano to dismiss the charges came after a defence motion was granted, with Busfield consistently denying the accusations, labeling them as false and driven by a desire for revenge.
The allegations stemmed from Busfield’s time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” in Albuquerque from 2022 to 2024. Parents of twin boys who were part of the show alleged that Busfield touched the children inappropriately on set.
One of the boys reported to the Albuquerque Police Department that Busfield touched him inappropriately on two occasions when he was seven and eight years old. The boy’s twin brother also claimed he was touched by Busfield but did not provide specific details, fearing repercussions.
Busfield voluntarily surrendered and was released from jail pending trial, with the judge noting a lack of prior criminal behavior involving children in Busfield’s history. Subsequently, a grand jury indictment was issued, allowing the case to proceed without a preliminary hearing.
Busfield’s legal team contended that the children initially denied any inappropriate touching by Busfield and accused their parents of influencing them to make false statements after losing roles on the show.
Defence attorneys argued that prosecutors disregarded the lack of evidence and obstructed witness testimony during grand jury proceedings. In response, the District Attorney argued that proper evidence submission procedures were not followed and accused Busfield of attempting to influence the jury during his testimony.
Busfield testified that the allegations had a severe impact on his life and career, leading to job losses and agency termination. He vehemently denied the accusations, stating they were entirely false.
The indictment carried potential prison sentences for each count, but with the dismissal of the charges, it remains to be seen if prosecutors will pursue a new indictment.