In brief
In a decision announced Friday, a New Mexico district judge dismissed the criminal sexual contact charges against Emmy‑winning actor Timothy Busfield, saying the state prosecution had failed to conduct a fair and impartial grand‑jury process. Busfield, who portrayed the role of a television producer and directed the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady, was initially indicted in February on four counts relating to alleged contact with a minor while on set. The judge noted mistakes in the prosecutors’ presentation that undermined the integrity of the case, and the Bernalillo County District Attorney said it would consider its next steps. The actor, who surrendered to authorities in January and was later released pending trial, has consistently denied all accusations.
Timothy Busfield—emmy‑winning star of television series such as The West Wing and Field of Dreams—is no longer facing criminal sexual contact charges after a New Mexico judge found prosecutorial misconduct. On Friday, District Judge Joseph Montano granted the defence’s motion to dismiss the February indictment of four counts alleging that Busfield touched a minor while on the set of the Fox series The Cleaning Lady.
The judge said the prosecutor had "failed to act in a fair and impartial manner" and that errors in how the judge presented the case undermined the grand‑jury process. The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office stated it was evaluating how to proceed after the dismissal.
Busfield had been arrested in January when warrants were issued for his arrest on two counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of child abuse. He surrendered to authorities, and a separate judge ordered his release pending trial. It is currently unknown whether the prosecution will file new charges or seek alternative penalties.
The indictment cited claims that, between 19 October 2022 and 10 September 2023, Busfield “touched or applied force to the intimate parts” of an unnamed boy under 13. The boys, according to the indictment, referred to Busfield as "Uncle Tim" and described being tickled repeatedly—an allegation Busfield has denied and the defense has challenged as retaliatory after the children were fired from the series.
The defense presented more than 70 letters from witnesses attesting to Busfield’s character and also noted that he passed a polygraph test on questions related to the allegations. The prosecution, however, maintained that the pieces of evidence proved a pattern of grooming and inappropriate behavior.
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Source: BBC News reported on 17 October 2026.
