Former Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash scored a legal victory on Monday when a judge threw out three sex abuse lawsuits, ruling that they had been filed long after the statute of limitations was up. In a statement, Clash said that he was ‘pleased’ by the news.
“Kevin is pleased by the judge’s decision,” his attorney, Michael G. Berger, said in a statement to NBC News. “As we have maintained all along, our goal has been to put these spurious claims behind him, so that Kevin can go about the business of re-claiming his personal life and his professional standing, which was recently recognized once again by the three Emmys he won last month.”
Berger added, “The judge’s decision to dismiss and close the three lawsuits is an important step in that direction. Kevin is looking forward to a time in the near future when he can tell his story free of innuendo and false claims.”
Manhattan federal Judge John Koeltl ruled on Monday that Cecil Singleton, Kevin Kiadii and a third ‘John Doe’ filed their lawsuits too late. All three claimed that they had sexual encounters with Clash when they were teens, but only waited until recently to file their suits. They are all in their mid-20s now.
“The dates on which the plaintiffs connected their psychological injuries to their victimizations are irrelevant to the dates on which their claims accrued,” Koeltl said. “While the plaintiffs may not have recognized the extent of their injuries, they were aware of the defendant's conduct towards them and could have brought claims.”
Jeff Herman, a Miami lawyer representing the three plaintiffs, said that this was just the “first battle” and that they will appeal.
Sheldon Stephens’ lawsuit is currently pending. He was the first person to claim that he was abused by Clash and had recanted his story, but said he was pressured to do so and still believes in his original claims.
Clash resigned from Sesame Street in November and won three Emmys in June.
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