Timothy Busfield is seeking to have the grand jury indictment against him in a child sexual abuse trial dismissed. The “West Wing” actor, who surrendered to authorities on Jan. 13, filed a motion this week to quash the grand jury indictment.
“Consistent with its conduct during its investigation, Mr. Busfield’s arrest and through the detention hearing process, the State has abdicated its role of administering justice and instead pursued an Indictment against Mr. Busfield at the cost of the evidence, Mr. Busfield’s rights and the independence and integrity of the grand jury,” the motion, filed by the actor’s defense team, reads. “The grand jury prosecutor’s actions — repeatedly misstating the law to the grand jury and forsaking his obligation to facilitate the proceedings in a fair and impartial manner — constitute structural error requiring dismissal.”
Busfield, who pled not guilty to the four felony counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor back in February, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the case. The third-degree felonies stem from allegations from October 2022 and September 2023, when Busfield was directing two child actors on the set of “The Cleaning Lady.”
“Since its investigation, the State — both by way of the Albuquerque Police Department and the Office of the Second Judicial District Attorney — has remained willfully blind to the lack of evidence underpinning its case and stubbornly unmoved by the overwhelming evidence of Mr. Busfield’s innocence,” the filing continues. “The evidence demonstrates that the allegations are patently false, implausible and the result of an expressed vendetta against him.”
A warrant for Busfield’s arrest was issued Jan. 9, after allegations that he had inappropriate sexual contact with two 11-year-old boys while he served on “The Cleaning Lady” as director and executive producer. He surrendered to authorities on Jan. 13.
“I’m going to confront these lies,” the “Thirtysomething” star said at the time. “They’re horrible. They’re all lies. And I did not do anything to those little boys, and I’m going to fight it. I’m going to fight it with a great team, and I’m going to be exonerated.”
At present, Busfield’s trial is set to start in May 2027.
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