Timothy Busfield filed key paperwork for his protection after being formally charged in a baby intercourse abuse case, hitting again on the State of New Mexico’s movement to carry him for pretrial detention and sharing an inventory of potential witnesses that included his spouse, Melissa Gilbert.
In paperwork obtained by TheWrap and filed by Busfield’s authorized group Friday, the actor submitted 13 names which will function “potential witnesses” for his protection forward of his pretrial detention listening to on January 20.
Among the many checklist of names was Busfield’s spouse, an actress greatest identified for taking part in Laura Ingalls Wilder on NBC’s “Little Home on the Prairie.” Till lately, Gilbert was notably silent following her husband’s arrest on baby intercourse abuse costs, noting through a rep that she wouldn’t be making “public statements at the moment.” Nonetheless, the rep did state on Tuesday — after Busfield turned himself over to the authorities — that “[Gilbert] stands with and helps her husband and can handle the general public at an applicable time.” She has since written a personality letter on Busfield’s behalf (extra on that in a while).
Along with Gilbert, Busfield’s authorized group named quite a few “The Cleansing Woman” solid and crew — together with hairstylist Kristin Karr, cinematographer Alan Caudillo, actress Debra Toner, hairstylist Danielle Vigil — because the Fox sequence was allegedly the place the misconduct passed off.
As we beforehand reported, Busfield was charged with two counts of prison sexual contact of a minor and an open rely of kid abuse, stemming from an investigation into his relationship with baby actors he directed on Fox’s “The Cleansing Woman.” He directed six episodes of the sequence from 2022 to 2025 and govt produced 14 episodes.
As a further allegation surfaced in opposition to Busfield this week, he vehemently denied the accusations in a video shared earlier than turning himself over to the authorities in New Mexico on Tuesday.
“I’m going to confront these lies,” he mentioned on the time. “They’re horrible. They’re all lies, and I didn’t do something to these little boys.”
Busfield additional denied the allegations in his Friday submitting, claiming the accusers lacked credibility and that they’d monetary motives for accusing him.
“The State’s case rests virtually completely on the accounts of two stage mother and father … whose youngsters had been recast from ‘The Cleansing Woman’ in 2024,” Busfield’s submitting reads. “These witnesses usually are not impartial observers. Their allegations emerged solely after the lack of the twins’ function—and solely after session with civil counsel—creating an apparent monetary and retaliatory motive. That motive should be evaluated in opposition to the couple’s well-documented historical past of fraud and dishonesty.”
Busfield additionally supplied outcomes from a polygraph take a look at, by which he was discovered to be “truthful” after denying inappropriately touching an alleged sufferer. Moreover, he submitted 75 letters from colleagues, family and friends members, all testifying to his character and professionalism.
Gilbert was amongst those that submitted a letter, writing “I’ll by no means be capable of categorical the depth of gratitude I’ve to God for bringing this glorious human into our lives.”
She added, “My husband, like my father, is former army, and that coaching solely enhanced for him what he values most; honor, integrity, compassion and take care of his fellow human beings.”
As she went on, she instructed the decide that this was “the strangest letter” she’s ever needed to write. “I’m making an attempt to tow a line between logic and all the sentiments swirling by means of me,” Gilbert famous. “I started this letter with logic, however now the sentiments have taken over. I can’t assist it. I solely need this extraordinary man secure and complete.”
