Actress Melissa Gilbert has made a desperate, emotional appeal to a judge, pleading for the protection of her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, who remains in custody on serious child sex abuse charges.
A Surrender and Serious Allegations
Timothy Busfield, 68, turned himself in to authorities in New Mexico on Tuesday after an arrest warrant was issued. He faces charges of child abuse and criminal sexual contact with a minor. The actor, best known for his role in the political drama The West Wing, is currently being held without bond at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque.
The allegations stem from his time working on the television series The Cleaning Lady between 2022 and 2024. Busfield is accused of inappropriately touching twin boys on set, with only one of the brothers alleging sexual contact. Following these initial claims, a further accusation emerged, alleging he sexually abused a 16-year-old girl during an audition for a show. Busfield has denied all allegations against him.
Gilbert's Heartfelt Letter to the Court
In a motion filed by his legal team late on Friday night, a letter from his wife, Melissa Gilbert, was included. Gilbert, who rose to fame starring in Little House on the Prairie, wrote directly to the judge overseeing the case.
"I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over, I can't help it," Gilbert confessed. "I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole." She described Busfield as her "protector," her "rock," and her "partner in business and life," expressing profound distress at her inability to shield him from the current situation.
"I am relying on you to protect him for me," she concluded, after calling him an honourable and compassionate man with the "strongest moral compass" she has ever known.
Legal Arguments and Ongoing Case
Busfield's attorneys have argued in their motion that prosecutors have not provided proof he would be a danger to the community if released on bond. They are seeking his release pending trial.
Meanwhile, Gilbert's letter painted a picture of their life together, recalling how they met in the 1980s but fell in love in 2012. She praised his role as a stepfather to her youngest son and compared his principles of "honour, integrity, compassion and care" to those of her father. The actress admitted the letter was the "strangest" she had ever had to write, torn between logic and overwhelming emotion.
The case continues as the court considers the arguments for and against bond, with Busfield maintaining his innocence from custody.
