In brief
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a district judge has thrown out a criminal indictment against actor Timothy Busfield, saying the prosecution failed to act fairly and impartially. Busfield, known for roles on "The West Wing" and "Field of Dreams," had been charged with four counts of sexual contact with a child, stemming from allegations by boys who appeared on the Fox series "The Cleaning Lady". The judge cited procedural mistakes that undermined the grand jury process. The Office of the Second Judicial District Attorney is reviewing its next steps. Busfield’s defense had already presented over 70 letters and a polygraph to support his innocence.
On Friday, a Judge in the state of New Mexico dismissed all criminal charges against Emmy‑winning actor Timothy Busfield, citing that prosecutors had mishandled the case.
The actor—best known for his work on "The West Wing" and "Field of Dreams"—had been indicted in February on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. Busfield has denied all allegations, and the indictment was based on accusations from child actors who appeared on the Fox series "The Cleaning Lady," a production he directed and produced.
The judge asserted that the prosecutor “failed to act in a fair and impartial manner,” and pointed to mistakes that compromised the grand jury process. In response, the Office of the Second Judicial District Attorney in Bernalillo County said it is evaluating options on how to proceed.
Busfield surrendered to state authorities in January after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Following the warrant, a judge ordered his release pending trial.
The original indictment alleged that between 19 October 2022 and 10 September 2023 Busfield had touched or applied force to the intimate parts of a minor under 13 while on set of "The Cleaning Lady."
Busfield’s legal team presented more than 70 letters from witnesses attesting to his character and noted that he passed a polygraph test concerning the allegations.
In the arrest affidavit, prosecutors claimed that the boys, who referred to Busfield as “Uncle Tim,” reported being inappropriately touched for years. They alleged grooming and sexual abuse while working on the series.
Busfield’s lawyers argued that the accusations were retaliatory, made after the boys were fired from the series and their mother was upset by their dismissal.
BBC’s Nardine Saad contributed to this report.
For more context, read about the actor’s surrender to authorities and the initial indictment details.
