Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield take a sigh of relief after custody relaxation.
The West Wing actor, 68, on January 20 released from Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, N.M., one week after he surrendered himself to authorities. He was charged with child sex abuse crimes which he denied with confidence.
On Tuesday, the actor was appeared in a two-hour pretrial detention where it was ruled that he can be released with conditions as he awaits trial.
Busfield’s civil attorney, Larry Stein, exclusively told People magazine that the actor “feels wonderful” following the ruling.
“He can reunite with Melissa,” Stein said, noting that Gilbert, 61, is “very, very excited.”
Melissa was present in the court room along her mother, Barbara Cowan, her son, Michael Boxleitner and Busfield’s brother, Buck.
After the judge announced Busfield’s release, the actress was seen in the courtroom crying and whispering, “Thank you, God.”
For those unversed, Busfield’s arrest warrant were issued on January 9, at the Albuquerque Police Department. Four days later, the director surrendered to authorities.
He was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse, per prosecutors.
Busfield, before turning himself in, recorded a video obtained by TMZ that he “did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it.”
