Judge dismisses child sexual abuse charges against actor Busfield

Actor Timothy Busfield has maintained his innocence throughout. Friday, a judge dismissed charges against him.

A JUDGE in New Mexico on Friday dismissed child sexual abuse charges against actor and director Timothy Busfield, after finding flaws in how the prosecution had presented the case to a grand jury.

Busfield had vehemently denied the accusations of sexual abuse and pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers had sought the dismissal of the indictment, which was filed in February.

In a written order, Judge Joseph Romo of the 2nd Judicial District Court of New Mexico, in Albuquerque, said the prosecutor in charge of the proceedings had failed to act in a fair and impartial manner, including by not properly instructing grand jurors on the procedures for calling additional witnesses.

The prosecution now has the option of presenting the case to a new grand jury.

Amber Fayerberg, a lawyer for Busfield, said in a statement that her client was “relieved and grateful,” and would be ready to defend himself again if prosecutors decided to bring a new case.

The case stems from the set of the The Cleaning Lady, a Fox crime drama filmed in New Mexico that Busfield started directing in 2022. Prosecutors had accused Busfield of repeatedly touching the genitals and backside of one of the show’s child actors, who worked on the set alongside his twin brother and who told authorities that he was 7 and 8 years old at the time.

The judge said the prosecution’s repeated use of a new grand jury resulted in the jurors abandoning their requests. The article continues in the printed columns.

— The New York Times