Timothy Busfield‘s former colleagues voiced support for him following the West Wing actor’s arrest for alleged child sex abuse.
On January 13, Busfield, 68, turned himself in to New Mexico police after the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest. The warrant alleged that he inappropriately touched twin 11-year-old boys on the set of The Cleaning Lady. Although he denied the allegations, Busfield is being held without bond pending his next court date on January 20.
Busfield’s attorneys filed a motion against the decision on January 16, arguing that prosecutors don’t have proof that the actor is a danger if released on bond, the Daily Mail reported. In the brief, letters written by his actor friends — including Peter Horton, Patricia Wettig, and Mackenzie Astin — showed support for his character.
Horton, who worked with Busfield in thirtysomething, wrote, “Tim is not only a great actor and a really good director, more than all of that Tim is a good man.” He added, “I offer this perspective to you from not only a fellow artist and friend, but as a fellow father of two girls who knows the power and necessity of having a good dad.”
Wettig, who played Busfield’s wife on thirtysomething, said that he was “humble and caring” during their time acting together, including through intimate scenes. She said that Busfield also ensured that kids “felt comfortable and safe,” also noting that he is a “wonderful man, and I trust him completely.”
Meanwhile, Astin — who starred in First Years with Busfield as a director for two episodes — credited Busfield for giving him a small part on a TV show in 2010 after he left rehab. “That job made a significant impact on my recovery,” Astin wrote. “I was reminded that I was capable as an actor, and that the new life I had begun, the sober life, would be rewarded.”
Busfield’s wife, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert, also wrote a letter defending her husband’s character. “The reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life,” she noted, per People. “He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humor and quick wit bring sparkle to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family.”
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