Outline:
New Allegations Against Timothy Busfield
Emmy Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing new allegations of sexual abuse, according to recent court documents. These claims have emerged in connection with a case in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court in New Mexico, where Busfield is accused of criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse. The allegations stem from incidents involving twin child actors during his time directing the series "The Cleaning Lady."
Busfield has denied the allegations, calling them "lies" in a video shared with TMZ. He made his initial court appearance on Wednesday, and a hearing regarding his continued detention before trial is scheduled within five business days.
Allegations from Sacramento
According to the court documents, a man reported that Busfield sexually abused his daughter several years ago. The incident allegedly occurred when the girl was 16 years old while she was auditioning at Sacramento’s B Street Theatre. The teen reportedly claimed that Busfield kissed her, put his hands down her pants, and touched her private areas. The documents also state that Busfield begged the family not to report the incident to law enforcement if he received therapy. The father, who is a therapist himself, initially thought this was the best course of action.
KCRA 3, a sister station of KOAT, is currently withholding the identity of the man involved to protect the daughter’s privacy.
B Street Theatre Statement
Busfield is the co-founder of the B Street Theatre, along with his brother Buck. Together, they also established the Fantasy Theater. The B Street Theatre released a statement on Tuesday, addressing the allegations. The statement clarified that the New Mexico allegations did not occur at B Street Theatre and are unrelated to any activities connected to the organization, its staff, or programs. It further noted that Busfield does not hold any current role at the theatre and has not been involved since 2001. While he is listed as an emeritus member of the board, he has not attended any board meetings in that capacity since then.
KCRA 3 has reached out to both the B Street Theatre and Sacramento police for additional comments regarding the new allegations.
Previous Allegations
The court documents also reference other previous allegations against Busfield. One such incident dates back to 1994, when Busfield was accused of sexual assault against an 17-year-old extra on the set of "Little Big League." This led to a private settlement. Later, Busfield was ordered to pay attorney costs after he countersued for defamation, and the case was dismissed.
Another allegation involves a 28-year-old woman at a Los Angeles movie theater, where Busfield was accused of sexual battery. However, this case did not result in prosecution due to insufficient evidence.
Background on Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield is married to actress Melissa Gilbert and is widely recognized for his roles in "The West Wing," "Field of Dreams," and "Thirtysomething." He also gained recognition for his baseball career, having been inducted into the Sacramento Area Baseball Hall of Fame after pitching for the Sacramento Smokeys.
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