A judge in New Mexico has thrown out an indictment 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 prosecutorial misconduct and errors that undermined the grand jury process as reasons for dismissing the charges. State District Judge Joseph Montano granted a defense motion to dismiss the charges in a decision released on Friday. Busfield has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them as falsehoods driven by a desire for revenge.
It is unclear whether prosecutors will pursue a new indictment following the dismissal. The case originated during Busfield’s time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024. Parents of twin boys who were part of the show alleged that Busfield had 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 touched him inappropriately on separate 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 out of fear of repercussions.
Busfield turned himself in and was released pending trial, with a judge noting no prior criminal conduct involving children in Busfield’s history. The subsequent grand jury indictment detailed allegations of inappropriate touching, allowing the case to proceed without a preliminary hearing. Busfield’s legal team argued that initial statements from the children to the police did not support the accusations and accused the parents of coaching the children after losing their roles on the show.
In June, Busfield’s attorneys sought to dismiss the indictment, alleging that prosecutors had overlooked the lack of evidence and obstructed witness testimony in front of the grand jury. During a September hearing, Busfield’s lawyer presented audio recordings showing jurors requesting additional witnesses, which prosecutors allegedly prevented from testifying. The defense claimed prosecutorial misconduct, while the district attorney argued that proper evidence submission procedures had not been followed and accused Busfield of attempting to influence the grand jury in his favor.
Transcripts submitted by Busfield’s legal team revealed the actor’s emotional testimony, expressing the impact of the case on his life and family. He vehemently denied the allegations and stated that they had led to him losing work and being let go by his agency. Prosecutors had outlined potential prison sentences for each count in the indictment, which could be increased.