‘Law & Order: SVU’ Forced to Pull Episode After Actor Accused of Sex Crimes
NBC has pulled an upcoming episode of Law & Order: SVU after a guest star was accused of child sex abuse.
Timothy Busfield was set to guest star on ‘Law & Order: SVU’
Timothy Busfield was set to appear in the January 15 episode of the long-running police procedural. But the episode will not air now that the actor and director is facing charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse in New Mexico, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Busfield is best known for his role Danny Concannon on The West Wing.
A warrant was issued January 9 for Busfield’s arrest, ABC News reported. He is accused of touching a child actor on the set of the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady, on which he worked as both an actor and director. The alleged abuse began in 2022, when the victim was 7 years old. Busfield denied the allegations when interviewed by investigators, according to a complaint obtained by ABC.
Busfield played a judge in the shelved SVU episode, which is titled “Corrosive.” He previously appeared in SVU in 2011. He also directed two episodes of the show in 2019. According to Deadline, “Corrosive” focused on a “troubling case involving a respected judge’s life being threatened.” The SVU team’s investigation leads them “down a complex path that connects to an anonymous video posted to their tip line. As the plot unfolds, the episode tackles heavy themes of trauma and recovery.”
‘SVU’ star Mariska Hargitay advocates for survivors of sexual assault
Busfield has not publicly addressed the allegations against him. An Instagram account belonging to his wife, Little House on the Prairie alum Melissa Gilbert, has been deactivated. In November, she posted in response to Megyn Kelly’s comments about how sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s victims were teenagers and not young children. Kelly argued that “there’s a difference between a 15-year-old and a 5-year-old.” Gilbert recalled having to kiss her LHOP co-star Dean Butler when she was 15 and he was in his early 20s. While Gilbert stressed that no misconduct occurred and that multiple people ensured she was safe on set, she said other young women were not so lucky.
SVU frequently deals with stories involving child sexual abuse. Series star Mariska Hargitay is a vocal advocate for survivors of sexual assault. She established The Joyful Heart Foundation to advocate for survivors so they can “heal their minds, bodies, and spirits and reclaim their lives.”
The recent accusations against Busfield are not the first time the actor has faced misconduct allegations. In the mid-90s, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old extra on the set of a movie he directed. He settled a lawsuit with the girl. In 2012, a woman accused him of groping her on a date, but charges were never filed.
How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.
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