New Mexico Judge Dismisses Indictment Against Actor Timothy Busfield, Faults Prosecutors' Grand Jury Conduct
A New Mexico district judge on October 16 dismissed the grand jury indictment against actor and director Timothy Busfield, ruling that prosecutors had failed to act in a fair and impartial manner in presenting the case to the grand jury.
Busfield, 69, was indicted in February on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child. Prosecutors alleged that between late 2022 and early 2024, while filming the Fox series 'The Cleaning Lady' in Albuquerque, he inappropriately touched twin boy actors who were 7 and 8 years old at the time. Busfield has denied all allegations; he surrendered to authorities in January, pleaded not guilty in February, and was released pending trial on January 20.
District Judge Joseph Montano granted the defense motion to dismiss, finding that prosecutors had misstated the law on witness subpoenas to the grand jury — including claims that witnesses required subpoenas, 36 hours' notice, and the agreement of at least eight grand jurors — with the practical effect of keeping witnesses the grand jurors wanted to hear from them, in violation of rules protecting the structural integrity of the grand jury. According to Reuters, the dismissal does not bar prosecutors from bringing charges again. A spokesperson for the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office said it had received the ruling and was evaluating its options. Busfield's defense attorney said he was relieved and grateful at the news.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：演员兼导演 Timothy Busfield（资料图）。图片来源：Allan Lundell，CC BY 3.0，经维基共享资源。Photo: Actor and director Timothy Busfield (file photo). Credit: Allan Lundell, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
