A judge in New Mexico has thrown out an indictment against actor Timothy Busfield, known for roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” which accused him of criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited prosecutorial misconduct and errors that undermined the grand jury process in dismissing the charges. The decision to dismiss the indictment was made by State District Judge Joseph Montano and was released on Friday.
Busfield has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them as falsehoods driven by a desire for retaliation. It remains uncertain whether prosecutors will pursue a new indictment in this case.
The allegations against Busfield stem from his time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” between 2022 and 2024. Parents of twin boys who had roles on the show claimed that Busfield inappropriately touched the children on the set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to a criminal complaint filed in January, one of the boys reported that Busfield had touched him inappropriately on two occasions when he was seven and eight years old.
The other twin also claimed to have been touched by Busfield but did not provide specific details, fearing repercussions. Busfield voluntarily surrendered and was released on bail pending trial, as the judge did not find a history of similar allegations involving children in Busfield’s past.
Subsequently, a grand jury indictment was issued, alleging that Busfield had engaged in inappropriate touching on multiple occasions. His defense team argued that initial police interviews with the children did not corroborate the allegations and accused the parents of coaching the children to make false statements after losing their roles on the show.
In June, Busfield’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, asserting that prosecutors overlooked the lack of evidence and obstructed witness testimony during the grand jury process. The defense claimed that prosecutors misled jurors about the availability of witnesses, preventing them from hearing crucial testimony.
During a hearing in September, Busfield’s attorney presented audio recordings of grand jurors requesting additional witnesses and refuted the prosecution’s handling of the case as “egregious prosecutorial misconduct.” The District Attorney countered by alleging procedural missteps on the part of the defense and Busfield’s attempts to influence witness selection during his testimony.
In his testimony to the grand jury, Busfield expressed how the accusations had negatively impacted his life and career, leading to job losses and agency terminations. He vehemently denied the allegations, stating that they were entirely false.
The indictment against Busfield carried a potential penalty of six years in prison for each count.