A judge in New Mexico has thrown out a legal case against Timothy Busfield, known for roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” that accused him of inappropriate contact with a child. The judge cited errors and misconduct by the prosecution that undermined the grand jury process.
Judge Joseph Montano granted a motion from Busfield’s defense team to dismiss the charges, releasing his decision on a Friday. Busfield has consistently denied the accusations, labeling them as false claims driven by a desire for retaliation.
It is unclear if prosecutors plan to pursue a new indictment following this dismissal. The allegations stemmed from Busfield’s time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024. Parents of twin boys who worked on the show alleged that Busfield touched the children inappropriately on the set in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
According to a criminal complaint filed earlier in the year, 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 also mentioned being touched by Busfield but did not provide details, fearing repercussions if he spoke up.
Busfield turned himself in and was released on bail before the trial. The indictment, issued by a grand jury shortly after, repeated the accusations that Busfield had engaged in inappropriate touching with one of the boys. Busfield’s legal team argued that the children initially told authorities that Busfield did not touch them inappropriately and suggested that the parents influenced the children to make false statements after they lost their roles on the show.
During court proceedings, Busfield’s attorneys contended that prosecutors disregarded the lack of evidence and obstructed the grand jury from hearing crucial witness testimonies. The defense accused prosecutors of misconduct and manipulating the jury process.
Transcripts from the court session revealed that Busfield expressed how the case had disrupted his life and impacted his family. He vehemently denied the allegations, stating unequivocally that they were entirely false. Prosecutors had highlighted that each charge in the indictment could result in a prison sentence of up to six years.
