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By Gabe Whisnant
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A New Mexico judge ordered actor Timothy Busfield released from jail Tuesday following a detention hearing on child sex abuse charges, reversing an earlier decision to hold him without bond as the case moves toward trial.
The ruling is tied to allegations that Busfield inappropriately touched a minor while working as a director on the television series The Cleaning Lady. Albuquerque police issued a warrant earlier this month charging Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the incidents occurred on the set of the show.
Judge Orders Busfield Released Pending Trial
State District Court Judge David Murphy ruled that Busfield would be released on his own recognizance, pending further proceedings. Under the conditions set by the court, Busfield will be supervised by pretrial services in Albuquerque and is allowed to leave New Mexico to return home to New York, Murphy said.
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Busfield, an Emmy Award-winning actor known for roles in The West Wing, Field of Dreams and Thirtysomething, was ordered held without bond at his initial court appearance last week. Ahead of turning himself in to authorities, Busfield released a video denying the allegations and calling them lies.
Busfield has not entered a plea, and the case remains pending as prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for further court hearings.
Emotional Court Hearing Includes Wife Melissa Gilbert
At Tuesday’s hearing in state district court, Busfield appeared in handcuffs and an orange jail uniform. His wife, actor and director Melissa Gilbert, watched from the gallery. Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalls on the television series Little House on the Prairie, was visibly emotional and tearful as she left the courtroom following the judge’s decision to release her husband.
Gilbert is listed among the potential witnesses identified ahead of the hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, a police investigator reported that one of the children told authorities Busfield touched him over his clothing on private areas when he was 7 years old and again when he was 8. The boy’s twin brother also reported being touched by Busfield, though he did not specify where. The twin told investigators he did not report the alleged conduct at the time because he did not want to get into trouble.
The complaint also states that one of the boys later disclosed during a therapy session that he had been inappropriately touched by the show’s director. Police obtained those therapy records during the investigation.
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Prosecutors Cite Evidence, Seek Continued Detention
Prosecutors argued Tuesday that Busfield should remain detained, citing what they described as strong and corroborated evidence. Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch told the court that the allegations were supported by medical findings and statements made to a therapist.
“The boys’ allegations are supported by medical findings and by their therapist,” Brandenburg-Koch said. “Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”
She also alleged a broader pattern of misconduct, describing what prosecutors claim is a history of abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over several decades. Brandenburg-Koch said witnesses had expressed fear of retaliation and professional harm.
“GPS is not going to tell this court if he is around children or talking to witnesses,” she said, arguing that supervision conditions would not adequately address those concerns.
Defense Disputes Claims, Points to Interviews and Motives
Busfield’s defense attorneys disputed the prosecution’s claims, arguing that the allegations arose only after the children lost their roles on the television show, creating what they described as a financial and retaliatory motive. Court filings also cited what the defense said was a history of fraud involving the boys’ parents.
On Monday, Busfield’s attorneys submitted two brief audio recordings of initial police interviews in which the children said Busfield did not touch them in private areas. The defense argued that the criminal complaint mischaracterized those interviews.
“The complaint characterizes the interviews as a failure to disclose abuse, but an unequivocal denial is materially different from a mere absence of disclosure,” the attorneys wrote.
The defense also pointed to an internal investigation by Warner Bros. that they say found the allegations unfounded. Busfield submitted letters from colleagues and acquaintances vouching for his character, and his attorneys said he passed an independent polygraph test.
Legal experts note that New Mexico is among a small number of states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal proceedings, though strict standards apply and a judge ultimately decides whether such evidence can be admitted at trial.
Updates: 1/20/26, 6:53 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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