Judge Dismisses Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Against Ex-Elmo Puppeteer Kevin Clash

Puppeteer Kevin Clash, the former voice of Elmo on Sesame Street, scored a big victory in court this week when a judge dismissed lawsuits filed against Clash by men who said that he molested them when they were underage.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, a New York judge said the lawsuits did not meet the statute of limitations, which says that suits must be filed within six years after an event or three years after a plaintiff turns 21. The three people who have sued Clash said that he molested them beginning in 2004, 2003 and the mid-1990s. Their attorney, Jeff Herman, said Monday that they will appeal the judge's ruling and continue to pursue lawsuits against Clash.

"The statute of limitations is an arbitrary timeline that silences victims," Herman told TheWrap. "This is the first battle. We plan to appeal the decision and continue the fight to be a voice for victims."

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Clash, 52, resigned from Sesame Workshop last year in light of the allegations against him. Last month, he won three Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on the show.