Timothy Busfield's wife Melissa Gilbert, costars offer support letters

Entertainment Weekly • January 17, 2026 • entertainment

Key Points:

Timothy Busfield is facing charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse, with a judge ordering him held without bond until his next hearing on January 20.
Busfield's attorneys argue against pretrial detention, presenting 75 letters of support from colleagues, including his wife Melissa Gilbert and Thirtysomething castmates, and citing a polygraph test and Warner Bros.' independent investigation that found the allegations unfounded.
Gilbert's letter portrays Busfield as a moral and compassionate man, emphasizing his positive impact on family, friends, and colleagues, and pleading for his protection during this legal process.
Fellow actors Ken Olin and Peter Horton also defend Busfield's character, describing him as caring, respectful, and a good