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EXCLUSIVE: Melissa Gilbert Says She’s “Beyond Excited” After Husband Timothy Busfield Is Released from Jail — Inside the Emotional Moment

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Busfield was released from jail on Tuesday, Jan. 20, according to online records seen by PEOPLE, as he awaits trial for ch////ild s////ex abuse charges

Melissa Gilbert; Timothy Busfield

Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield on January 20, 2026 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert are feeling positive following his release from custody.

The West Wing actor, 68, was released from Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Tuesday, Jan. 20, one week after he surrendered to authorities and was charged with ch///ild s//ex abuse crimes. He also denied the claims against him.

Earlier Tuesday, Busfield appeared in a two-hour pretrial detention hearing, where a judge ruled he would be released on his own recognizance and with conditions while he awaits trial.

Busfield’s civil attorney, Larry Stein, exclusively tells PEOPLE that the actor “feels wonderful” following the ruling.

“He can reunite with Melissa,” Stein says, noting that Gilbert, 61, is “very, very excited.”