Melissa Gilbert Posts Willy Wonka Quote After Timothy Busfield's Abuse Charges Are Dismissed

A New Mexico judge has dismissed the child sexual abuse indictment against actor Timothy Busfield, 69, citing prosecutorial misconduct and errors that undermined the grand jury proceedings. Busfield had been accused of inappropriately touching twin boys on the set of“The Cleaning Lady,”where he directed between 2022 and 2024. His attorneys argued the boys’parents coached them after they lost their roles, and Busfield has denied the allegations throughout, testifying that he had been“canceled”and dropped by his agency.

After the ruling, Melissa Gilbert, Busfield’s wife of 13 years, posted a Willy Wonka quote on Instagram:“So shines a good deed in a weary world.”The line actually traces back to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, which is the kind of quiet, literary move that says a lot without saying anything explicitly. Busfield’s attorney, Amanda Fayerberg, said he was“relieved and grateful,”while prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek another indictment.

So the case may not be fully closed. The dismissal raises big questions about how the charges were handled and whether the DA tries again. For now, the couple is letting a movie quote do the talking. Do you think the case should be refiled, or is a dismissal the final word? Sound off in the comments.