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  • Judge Orders Release Of Actor Timothy Busfield From Jail Pending Child Sex Abuse Case In New Mexico – KXL

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    Timothy Busfield appears at the 2020 ABC Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2020 (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A judge has ordered that actor Timothy Busfield be released from jail during a detention hearing on child sex abuse charges.

    The order Tuesday by state district court Judge David Murphy is linked to accusations that Busfield inappropriately touching a minor while working as a director on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

    The judge ordered that the defendant was released on his own recognizance, pending trial. Busfield will be supervised upon release by a pretrial service in Albuquerque, and can leave the state to live at home, the judge said.

    Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor who is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” was ordered held without bond last week at his first court appearance. Busfield called the allegations lies in a video shared before he turned himself in.

    At the hearing Tuesday, Busfield was handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail uniform at the hearing in a New Mexico state district court, while wife and actor Melissa Gilbert watched from the court gallery.

    Gilbert was tearful while exiting the courtroom after the judge ordered Busfield’s release.

    Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls in the 1970s to ’80s TV series “Little House on the Prairie,” is on the list of potential witness submitted ahead of the hearing.

    Albuquerque police issued a warrant for Busfield’s arrest earlier this month on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

    According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported Busfield touched him on private areas over his clothing on one occasion when he was 7 years old and another time when he was 8. The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was also touched by Busfield, but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

    On Monday, Busfield’s attorneys submitted two brief audio recordings of initial police interviews in which the children say Busfield did not touch them in private areas. The attorneys in a court filing argue that the complaint characterizes the interviews as a failure to disclose abuse, but an “unequivocal denial is materially different from a mere absence of disclosure.”

    According to the criminal complaint, one of the boys disclosed during a therapy session that he was inappropriately touched by the show’s director. Those records were obtained by police during the investigation.

    Arguing Tuesday for Busfield’s continued detention, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch called evidence of abuse against Busfield strong and specific.

    “The boys’ allegation are supported by medical findings and by their therapist,” Brandenburg-Koch said. “Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”

    She also described a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over the past three decades. Prosecutors also say witnesses have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.

    “GPS is not going to tell this court if he is around children or talking to witnesses,” Brandenburg-Koch said.

    Busfield’s attorneys have argued that the allegations emerged only after the boys lost their role in the TV show, creating a financial and retaliatory motive. The filings detailed what the attorneys said was a history of fraud by both the boys’ father and mother. They cited an investigation by Warner Bros. into the allegations that found the allegations unfounded.

    Busfield also submitted letters vouching for his character, and his attorneys say he passed an independent polygraph test.

    Legal experts say New Mexico is among a few states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal cases, but a judge has final say over whether one can be used. There are strict requirements for admission.

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  • Timothy Busfield’s detention hearing to address sexual misconduct charges in New Mexico

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    COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON KOAT. ACTION SEVEN NEWS AT SIX STARTS RIGHT NOW. IT’S GOING TO BE A REALLY INTERESTING ARGUMENT BEFORE THIS JUDGE FROM BOTH SIDES, ACTOR AND DIRECTOR TIMOTHY BUSFIELD, SCHEDULED FOR COURT TOMORROW. HE’S FACING SEXUAL CHARGES REPORTEDLY INVOLVING TWO CHILD ACTORS WHILE FILMING A TV SHOW IN NEW MEXICO. COREY HOWARD JOINS US LIVE FROM DISTRICT COURT. DOCUMENTS FROM BUSFIELD SUPPORTERS. WELL, TONIGHT, TIMOTHY BUSFIELD REMAINS BEHIND BARS, BUT HE COULD BE A FREE AGAIN TOMORROW, DEPENDING ON THE JUDGE’S RULING. THEY’RE TRYING TO CONVINCE THE JUDGE. THE JUDGE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE LETTING HIM OUT OF JAIL. OF COURSE, THE PROSECUTION WANTS TO KEEP HIM IN UNTIL HIS TRIAL SETTING, WHICH COULD BE A YEAR OR MORE. AND BOTH SIDES ARE SUBMITTING THEIR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. BUZZFEED’S DEFENSE TEAM SAYING THE HOLLYWOOD STAR PASSED A POLYGRAPH TEST AND HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 70 LETTERS SUPPORTING HIM. ONE OF THE MORE EMOTIONAL LETTERS WRITTEN BY HIS WIFE, MELISSA GILBERT. THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE LETTER ASKING THE JUDGE, PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MY SWEET HUSBAND AS HE IS MY PROTECTOR. I AM HIS, BUT I CANNOT PROTECT HIM NOW. AND I THINK THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, IS WHAT TRULY IS BREAKING MY HEART. I AM RELYING ON YOU TO PROTECT THEM. FOR ME. KOAT LEGAL EXPERT JOHN DAY, EXPLAINING HOW THIS MIGHT AFFECT THE JUDGE’S DECISION. IT’S GOING TO BE UP TO THE JUDGE TO SAY YES. BUSPAR IS NOT A FLIGHT RISK. HE’S NOT A DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY. HE’S NOT GOING TO COMMIT CRIMES SO I CAN LET HIM OUT OF CUSTODY. PROSECUTORS ARE READY TO REFUTE THOSE CLAIMS, ARGUING BUZZFEED SHOULD REMAIN BEHIND BARS. THEIR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS SAY THE DEFENDANT POSES A SERIOUS AND ONGOING DANGER, NOT ONLY TO THE NAMED VICTIMS, BUT ANY CHILD IN HIS PROXIMITY. THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF BUZZFEED’S VOLUNTARY SURRENDER, SAYING DESPITE KNOWING ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAT A WARRANT HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR HIS ARREST, THE DEFENDANT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SURRENDER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. INSTEAD, HE DELAYED FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE DAYS TRAVELING FROM NEW YORK TO NEW MEXICO TO AVOID THE EXTRADITION PROCESS. NOW, BUZZFEED DETENTION HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR 2 P.M. TOMORROW, AND KOAT WILL BE STREAMING IT LIVE, REPORTING IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE. COREY HOWARD KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. BUZZFEED ATTORNEYS HAVE CALLED 13 WITNESSES TO SPEAK AT THE

    Timothy Busfield’s detention hearing preview, what’s expected

    Updated: 3:23 PM PST Jan 20, 2026

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    Actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing a detention hearing in New Mexico to determine whether he will remain in custody or be released until his trial on charges of sexual misconduct involving two child actors.Video above: What was expected from Timothy Busfield’s detention hearingSince his arrest, Busfield has received substantial support, with more than 70 people advocating for his release. Among the supporters is his wife, Melissa Gilbert, who wrote an emotional letter to the judge, saying, “Please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart. I am relying on you to protect him for me.”Prosecutors argue that Busfield poses a “serious and ongoing danger not only to the named victims, but any child in his proximity.” They also criticized the timing of his voluntary surrender, stating, “Despite knowing on Friday afternoon that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, the Defendant did not immediately surrender to law enforcement. Instead, he delayed for approximately five days, traveling from New York to New Mexico to avoid the extradition process.”Busfield’s defense team presented evidence of his character and community support, noting that he passed a polygraph test. They argued, “The overwhelming evidence of character and community support, and the absence of any reliable proof of dangerousness – the State cannot meet its burden of clear and convincing evidence that no conditions of release will reasonably protect the community. The Constitution requires release under appropriate conditions.”The hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, will feature 13 witnesses called by Busfield’s attorneys, including five who worked on “The Cleaning Lady,” filmed in Albuquerque.

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

    Actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing a detention hearing in New Mexico to determine whether he will remain in custody or be released until his trial on charges of sexual misconduct involving two child actors.

    Video above: What was expected from Timothy Busfield’s detention hearing

    Since his arrest, Busfield has received substantial support, with more than 70 people advocating for his release. Among the supporters is his wife, Melissa Gilbert, who wrote an emotional letter to the judge, saying, “Please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart. I am relying on you to protect him for me.”

    Prosecutors argue that Busfield poses a “serious and ongoing danger not only to the named victims, but any child in his proximity.” They also criticized the timing of his voluntary surrender, stating, “Despite knowing on Friday afternoon that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, the Defendant did not immediately surrender to law enforcement. Instead, he delayed for approximately five days, traveling from New York to New Mexico to avoid the extradition process.”

    Busfield’s defense team presented evidence of his character and community support, noting that he passed a polygraph test. They argued, “The overwhelming evidence of character and community support, and the absence of any reliable proof of dangerousness – the State cannot meet its burden of clear and convincing evidence that no conditions of release will reasonably protect the community. The Constitution requires release under appropriate conditions.”

    The hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, will feature 13 witnesses called by Busfield’s attorneys, including five who worked on “The Cleaning Lady,” filmed in Albuquerque.

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  • Timothy Busfield faced allegation of sexual abuse against teen at B Street Theatre, court docs say

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    Emmy Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing a new allegation of sexual abuse from his time in Sacramento, according to court documents.The allegation appeared in court documents filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court in New Mexico that argue Busfield should be detained before trial in a child sex case there because of Busfield’s alleged history of sexual misconduct. In New Mexico, Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse that stem from allegations of inappropriate touching of twin child actors while he was directing the series “The Cleaning Lady.” Busfield called the allegations against him “lies” in a video shared with TMZ. He made an initial court appearance Wednesday and a hearing about whether he should continue to be detained before trial will take place within five business days. His attorney told Hearst station KOAT that, “Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false. As a voluntary step, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding those allegations and passed.” According to the new court documents, a man told law enforcement Tuesday that Busfield sexually abused his daughter “several years ago.”While auditioning before Busfield at Sacramento’s B Street Theatre when she was 16 years old, the teen reported that Busfield “kissed her, put his hands down her pants and touched her privates,” the documents say. “The defendant begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy,” the documents say. The father, “a therapist himself thought at the time that was the best thing to do,” the documents say. KCRA 3 is not naming the man at this time because it could identify the daughter. But KCRA 3’s Cecil Hannibal spoke to the father, who said the incident that changed the trajectory of his daughter’s life happened back in 1999. The father said that he was at a meeting with Busfield where, “this guy’s crying, he’s showing remorse. He’s, he’s, he’s, apologizing. … And so I said, basically, ‘I’ll tell you what,’ you know, he was he was basically begging me not to go to the police.”The father said he now regrets not having gone to the police at the time. Busfield is the co-founder, along with his brother Buck, of the B Street Theatre. They also established the Fantasy Theater.The B Street Theatre released a statement on Tuesday before the new allegations surfaced. That statement noted that the allegations in New Mexico “did not occur at B Street Theatre, nor do they involve any activity connected with our organization, its staff, or our programs.”“Mr. Busfield does not have any role presently with B Street Theatre,” the statement said. “He was a co-founder of the theatre but has not served in any capacity since 2001. He is listed on our website as an emeritus member of the board, however he has not attended a board meeting in that capacity since 2001.”KCRA 3 again reached out to the B Street Theatre for comment, along with Sacramento police, about the new allegation. In an updated statement, the B Street Theatre said it was aware of “an incident alleged to have occurred at B Street Theatre approximately 25 years ago.””B Street Theatre retained legal counsel at the time to conduct an internal investigation, and Mr. Busfield has not had any role in the organization since 2001,” the statement said. The New Mexico court documents also mention other allegations against Busfield that have been previously reported. One incident, a 1994 allegation of sexual assault against an 17-year-old extra on “Little Big League,” led to a private settlement. Busfield was later ordered to pay attorney costs after he countersued for defamation and the case was tossed. Another allegation of sexual battery at a LA movie theater involving a 28-year-old woman did not lead to prosecution over slim evidence, according to the court documents. Busfield is best known for his appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” “Thirtysomething” and “Revenge of the Nerds.” He is listed as an actor, director or producer on more than 100 projects, according to IMDB. Busfield was also inducted into the Sacramento Area Baseball Hall of Fame after pitching for the Sacramento Smokeys. An NBC spokesperson said that the network has pulled an episode of “Law & Order: SVU” featuring Busfield that was supposed to air this week. Busfield is now married to actress Melissa Gilbert, from “Little House on the Prarie.” Gilbert’s publicist said she would not talk about her husband’s case while the legal process unfolds. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    Emmy Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing a new allegation of sexual abuse from his time in Sacramento, according to court documents.

    The allegation appeared in court documents filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court in New Mexico that argue Busfield should be detained before trial in a child sex case there because of Busfield’s alleged history of sexual misconduct.

    In New Mexico, Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse that stem from allegations of inappropriate touching of twin child actors while he was directing the series “The Cleaning Lady.”

    Busfield called the allegations against him “lies” in a video shared with TMZ. He made an initial court appearance Wednesday and a hearing about whether he should continue to be detained before trial will take place within five business days.

    His attorney told Hearst station KOAT that, “Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false. As a voluntary step, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding those allegations and passed.”

    According to the new court documents, a man told law enforcement Tuesday that Busfield sexually abused his daughter “several years ago.”

    While auditioning before Busfield at Sacramento’s B Street Theatre when she was 16 years old, the teen reported that Busfield “kissed her, put his hands down her pants and touched her privates,” the documents say.

    “The defendant begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy,” the documents say.

    The father, “a therapist himself thought at the time that was the best thing to do,” the documents say.

    KCRA 3 is not naming the man at this time because it could identify the daughter. But KCRA 3’s Cecil Hannibal spoke to the father, who said the incident that changed the trajectory of his daughter’s life happened back in 1999.

    The father said that he was at a meeting with Busfield where, “this guy’s crying, he’s showing remorse. He’s, he’s, he’s, apologizing. … And so I said, basically, ‘I’ll tell you what,’ you know, he was he was basically begging me not to go to the police.”

    The father said he now regrets not having gone to the police at the time.

    Busfield is the co-founder, along with his brother Buck, of the B Street Theatre. They also established the Fantasy Theater.

    The B Street Theatre released a statement on Tuesday before the new allegations surfaced.

    That statement noted that the allegations in New Mexico “did not occur at B Street Theatre, nor do they involve any activity connected with our organization, its staff, or our programs.”

    “Mr. Busfield does not have any role presently with B Street Theatre,” the statement said. “He was a co-founder of the theatre but has not served in any capacity since 2001. He is listed on our website as an emeritus member of the board, however he has not attended a board meeting in that capacity since 2001.”

    KCRA 3 again reached out to the B Street Theatre for comment, along with Sacramento police, about the new allegation.

    In an updated statement, the B Street Theatre said it was aware of “an incident alleged to have occurred at B Street Theatre approximately 25 years ago.”

    “B Street Theatre retained legal counsel at the time to conduct an internal investigation, and Mr. Busfield has not had any role in the organization since 2001,” the statement said.

    The New Mexico court documents also mention other allegations against Busfield that have been previously reported.

    One incident, a 1994 allegation of sexual assault against an 17-year-old extra on “Little Big League,” led to a private settlement. Busfield was later ordered to pay attorney costs after he countersued for defamation and the case was tossed.

    Another allegation of sexual battery at a LA movie theater involving a 28-year-old woman did not lead to prosecution over slim evidence, according to the court documents.

    Busfield is best known for his appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” “Thirtysomething” and “Revenge of the Nerds.”

    He is listed as an actor, director or producer on more than 100 projects, according to IMDB.

    Busfield was also inducted into the Sacramento Area Baseball Hall of Fame after pitching for the Sacramento Smokeys.

    An NBC spokesperson said that the network has pulled an episode of “Law & Order: SVU” featuring Busfield that was supposed to air this week.

    Busfield is now married to actress Melissa Gilbert, from “Little House on the Prarie.” Gilbert’s publicist said she would not talk about her husband’s case while the legal process unfolds.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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