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 prosecutorial errors and misconduct that compromised the grand jury process. The decision to dismiss the charges was made by State District Judge Joseph Montano and was announced on Friday.
Busfield has consistently denied the accusations, labeling them as falsehoods driven by a desire for vengeance. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue a new indictment in the case.
The allegations stemmed from Busfield’s time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” between 2022 and 2024. The parents of twin boys who were part of the show alleged that Busfield had inappropriately touched their 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 boy’s twin brother also claimed to have been touched by Busfield but did not provide specific details, fearing repercussions.
Following his arrest, Busfield was released pending trial as the judge found no prior criminal behavior or similar allegations involving children in his history. However, a grand jury later indicted Busfield on multiple counts of inappropriate touching, allowing the case to proceed without a preliminary hearing.
Busfield’s legal team argued that prosecutors disregarded the lack of evidence and misled the grand jury by withholding witness testimonies. The defense maintained that the children initially denied any inappropriate touching by Busfield and accused their parents of influencing their statements after losing their roles on the show.
During court proceedings, Busfield expressed how the case had negatively impacted his life and family, leading to job loss and agency termination. He vehemently denied the allegations against him, emphasizing their falsehood.
Prosecutors had stated that each count in the indictment carried a potential sentence of up to six years in prison.