A judge in New Mexico has thrown out a case against actor Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” which accused him of criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited errors and misconduct by prosecutors that undermined the grand jury process. State District Judge Joseph Montano granted a defense motion to dismiss the charges, releasing the decision on Friday.
Busfield has consistently denied the accusations, labeling them as falsehoods driven by a desire for revenge. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue a new indictment.
The allegations stem from Busfield’s time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” between 2022 and 2024. Parents of twin boys, who were part of the show, alleged that Busfield touched their children inappropriately while on set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to a criminal complaint filed in January, one of the boys reported that Busfield touched him on his private areas over his clothing when he was seven and eight years old.
The boy’s twin brother also mentioned being touched by Busfield but did not provide specific details and refrained from speaking up to avoid trouble. Busfield surrendered himself and was released pending trial, with no past criminal conduct involving children found by the judge who granted his release.
The grand jury indictment that followed made claims that Busfield had touched or used force on the intimate parts of one of the boys multiple times. Busfield’s legal team highlighted that the children initially told the police that Busfield did not touch them inappropriately, accusing the parents of coaching the children to provide incriminating statements after they lost roles on the show.
During a court hearing in September, Busfield’s attorneys argued that prosecutors overlooked the lack of evidence and obstructed the grand jury process. They presented audio recordings of jurors requesting additional witnesses, indicating that witnesses were available but were not called upon by prosecutors. The defense accused the state of engaging in severe prosecutorial misconduct.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Greer Staley countered the defense’s claims, stating that proper evidence submission procedures were not followed and that Busfield attempted to sway the grand jurors favorably during his testimony.
Transcripts submitted by Busfield’s legal team revealed his testimony expressing the impact of the case on his life and family. Busfield vehemently denied the allegations, stating they were completely untrue. The indictment carried possible penalties of up to six years in prison per count.
The case has sparked debate over the handling of evidence and the conduct of prosecutors in the legal proceedings.