A judge in New Mexico has thrown out a case against Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” in which he was accused of criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited misconduct and errors by prosecutors that undermined the grand jury process. State District Judge Joseph Montano granted a defense motion to dismiss the charges, stating that the allegations against Busfield were false and driven by revenge.
The allegations stemmed from Busfield directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024. Parents of twin boys who were part of the show alleged that Busfield inappropriately touched the children on set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to a criminal complaint filed in January, one of the boys reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately on two occasions when he was seven and eight years old.
The boy’s twin brother also claimed that Busfield had touched him but did not provide specific details. Busfield voluntarily turned himself in and was released pending trial. The defense argued that the allegations were coached by the boys’ parents after they lost their roles on the show.
Busfield’s attorneys accused prosecutors of ignoring lack of evidence and manipulating the grand jury process. They claimed that prosecutors prevented witness testimony and misled jurors about the evidence. In response, the district attorney argued that the defense had not followed proper procedures and that Busfield tried to influence the grand jury in his favor.
Busfield maintained his innocence, stating that the accusations had severely impacted his life and career. He vehemently denied the allegations and expressed relief at the dismissal of the charges. Prosecutors had initially sought a prison sentence for each count in the indictment.
The case against Busfield has been dropped, and it is unclear if prosecutors will pursue a new indictment. The actor remains steadfast in denying the allegations and is focused on moving forward from the legal ordeal.