Julia Roberts family allegations resurface amid Busfield criminal charges. [Image Source: YIMG]
New allegations have emerged involving Timothy Busfield, an actor and director, who now faces criminal charges connected to two child actors. This development also revives decades-old claims from Julia Roberts’ family, specifically from her sister-in-law Eliza Roberts, who accused Busfield of harassment in a sworn deposition from 1994.
Eliza Roberts’ 1994 Deposition Details Alleged Harassment
Eliza Roberts, married to Eric Roberts, Julia Roberts’ brother, gave a sworn deposition over 30 years ago after reading about a teenage girl accusing Busfield of inappropriate conduct on a film set. The deposition recounts Roberts’ personal experiences with Busfield at a Santa Monica children’s bookstore, where she said he made her feel uncomfortable through unwanted advances.
During her testimony, Roberts described how a casual conversation shifted to Busfield discussing
“marriage and passion and sex and divorce.”
She recalled Busfield expressing attraction toward her, stating,
“He started to say how he was attracted to me and I just kind of said, ‘Thanks for the compliment, and see you later,’”
Eliza Roberts, casting director.
Roberts said after she tried to leave, Busfield appeared suddenly beside her car window and began making sexually explicit remarks, including graphic comments about acts he wished to perform and derogatory remarks about his wife. She explained how Busfield continued to follow and harass her at a car wash eventually leaving her with a sick feeling inside. She emphasized,
“It was very hard to get rid of him,”
highlighting the persistence of his behavior.
The deposition contributed to a lawsuit that included sworn statements from five other women supporting a 17-year-old girl’s accusations against Busfield. This lawsuit was settled out of court in 1995. Revisiting the matter more than 25 years later, Roberts reaffirmed her earlier claims with the statement:
Image of: Julia Roberts
“I stand by everything I said then. The reason why I stand by it is because it was true then and it is true now.”
Current Criminal Charges and Previous Allegations Against Busfield
Busfield now faces two counts of criminal misconduct involving minors, linked to accusations from 11-year-old twins who worked on Fox’s series The Cleaning Lady, which Busfield directed. The boys allege that inappropriate touching began when they were seven years old in 2022. Busfield surrendered to police in Albuquerque last month and was released on his own recognizance, with a judge noting his lack of previous criminal history and no corroborating evidence at that time.
Court records and reports from The Washington Post reveal that prosecutors cited Busfield’s previous accusations, including the 1994 Little Big League incident and a 2001 allegation of abuse during an audition involving a 16-year-old girl. Additionally, a 2012 claim accused him of battering a woman in a movie theater; however, none of those prior complaints resulted in charges against him.
Busfield denies the current allegations and his legal team asserts that the parents of the alleged victims are motivated by financial gain and revenge. They describe the parents as “a couple of con artists,” noting that the father was convicted of fraud and disbarred, while the mother reportedly has multiple civil judgments against her for fraud.
Broader Implications and Ongoing Proceedings
The resurfacing of these claims amid ongoing criminal charges highlights the complex legal and emotional layers involved in longstanding abuse allegations within the entertainment industry. For Julia Roberts’ family, Eliza Roberts’ testimony adds weight to the narrative of persistent misconduct by Busfield, reinforcing concerns about the safety and exploitation of child actors.
As the criminal case continues, it remains unclear how the previous allegations will influence the current proceedings. The increased attention could prompt a reexamination of historical complaints, while also intensifying public discourse on accountability in Hollywood.
This developing story is being closely followed by outlets such as The Daily Mail and The Washington Post and continues to be featured in news programs including The Megyn Kelly Show, where listeners can access the latest updates across various platforms.
