A judge in New Mexico has thrown out charges against actor Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” accusing him of criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited prosecutorial misconduct and errors that undermined the grand jury process. State District Judge Joseph Montano granted a defense motion to dismiss the charges, noting the decision was released on Friday.
Busfield has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them as false and driven by vindictiveness. The case originated from Busfield directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024, where parents of two twin boys alleged that Busfield inappropriately touched the children on the set in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A criminal complaint filed in January stated that one of the boys reported Busfield touched him inappropriately on two occasions 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 due to fear of consequences.
Busfield surrendered himself and was released pending trial, with the judge finding no prior criminal conduct or similar allegations against children in Busfield’s history. Subsequently, a grand jury indictment was issued, accusing Busfield of inappropriate touching, allowing the case to advance without a preliminary hearing.
Busfield’s legal team argued that the children initially denied any inappropriate touching by Busfield and accused the parents of coaxing incriminating statements from their children after losing roles on the show. Defense attorneys contended that prosecutors disregarded the lack of evidence and impeded witness testimony during the grand jury proceedings.
The defense further alleged that prosecutors misled jurors about the availability of witnesses and erected obstacles to prevent them from hearing additional testimonies. Bernalillo County District Attorney Greer Staley countered the defense’s claims, stating that Busfield improperly influenced grand jurors during his testimony.
Busfield, during the proceedings, expressed how the case had negatively impacted his life and career, leading to job losses and agency termination. He vehemently denied the allegations of inappropriate behavior towards the children, emphasizing his innocence. Prosecutors had sought a potential six-year prison sentence for each count in the indictment.
The dismissal of the charges raises questions about the future course of action by prosecutors regarding the case against Timothy Busfield.