A New Mexico judge has thrown out a case against Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” which alleged criminal sexual contact with a child. The judge cited prosecutorial misconduct and errors that undermined the grand jury process as reasons for the dismissal. State District Judge Joseph Montano granted a defense request to dismiss the charges, which was made public on Friday.
Busfield has consistently denied the accusations, labeling them as false and driven by a desire for revenge. It is uncertain if prosecutors will pursue a new indictment following this development.
The allegations against Busfield stem from his time directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” between 2022 and 2024. Parents of twin boys who were part of the show claimed that Busfield inappropriately touched their children on the set in Albuquerque, N.M. According to a criminal complaint filed in January, 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 brother also stated that he was touched by Busfield but did not provide specific details and kept silent out of fear of getting into trouble. Busfield turned himself in but was released pending trial after a judge found no prior criminal behavior or similar allegations involving children in Busfield’s history.
The grand jury indictment came soon after, alleging that Busfield had engaged in inappropriate touching with one of the boys multiple times. Busfield’s legal team highlighted that the initial police interviews with the children contradicted the later incriminating statements, suggesting parental coaching after the boys lost their roles on the show.
In a bid to dismiss the indictment, Busfield’s attorneys accused prosecutors of disregarding the lack of evidence and obstructing witness testimony before the grand jury. They presented audio recordings during a hearing that revealed jurors’ requests to hear from additional witnesses, which prosecutors allegedly prevented.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Greer Staley defended the prosecutors’ actions, claiming that Busfield and his defense team had not followed proper procedures and that Busfield attempted to influence the grand jury in his favor during his testimony.
Busfield, during his testimony, expressed the impact the case had on his life and family, stating that he had suffered professional consequences. He vehemently denied the allegations against him and emphasized that they were entirely false.
Prosecutors had indicated that each count in the indictment could result in a potential prison sentence of up to six years.