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Podcaster Lauren Conlin has reacted to American actor Gary Busey pleading guilty to s*xual assault of a woman in 2022. Conlin believed he was not mentally fit enough to plead guilty to his charges.
In an X post dated August 1, Lauren Conlin quoted video footage of Gary Busey during his criminal trial. The podcaster pointed out that he was snacking during the trial, indicating that he may be mentally unfit to admit to his crimes. She wrote:
"I feel like Gary Busey isn’t well enough to plead anything but insanity here?! He is 81 years old with a traumatic brain injury, and apparently thought it was acceptable to snack during the hearing…someone needs to help him!"
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Conlin's comments were in reference to Gary Busey pleading guilty to one count of fourth-degree s*xual assault at his virtual court hearing on July 31, 2025. The actor admitted to inappropriately touching a woman's backside without her consent during a semi-annual Monster-Mania Convention at the Doubletree Hotel in New Jersey in August 2022.
It is worth noting that Gary Busey initially denied any involvement in the same incident. He was initially facing charges of four counts of criminal s*xual assault and one count of attempted criminal s*xual conduct. The actor has yet to be sentenced following his admission of one count and could face up to five years of probation alongside fines.
"He is not a criminal" - Gary Busey's lawyer delivers statement after the actor admits to fourth-degree s*xual assault
In a statement given to PEOPLE, Gary Busey's criminal lawyer, Blair Zwillman, claimed her client is happy to leave the charges of s*xual assault behind him. Zwillman also described him as a "family guy" who's not a "criminal."
"There has to be a factual basis where he admits the offense. He had to admit that it was non-consensual. This was the best disposition for him. He's glad to put this behind him. He is basically a family guy. He is not a criminal. We're going to ask that he'd just be fined and end it," Zwillman said.
It all began when three different women accused Busey of touching them inappropriately during the 2022 Monster-Mania convention. The women claimed that the incidents took place during one of Busey's fan meet-and-greets, when the actor was signing autographs for them.
In an interview with TMZ following the accusations, Busey initially denied that he had touched them inappropriately. He said:
"None of that happened. It was a partner, a camera lady, and me, and two girls ... it took less than 10 seconds, and they left. Then they made up a story that I assaulted them s*xually, and I did not. Nothing happened, it's all false."
In his latest court hearing, Busey admitted to one count of s*xual assault. The Oscar-nominated actor was first asked on camera whether he had attended the Monster-Mania convention in New Jersey on August 13, 2022. The actor admitted to it, saying "affirmative." He was then asked if there was a photoshoot where his fans had come to take photographs with him, which he also confirmed.
Further, the court asked if Gary Busey had "inappropriately touched the buttocks of an adult woman." Busey admitted to the same, confirming that he is pleading guilty to the accusation. He was also asked whether the gesture was accidental or not, to which the actor said it was intentional.
Further details about Busey's sentencing are awaited.
