The man who for decades gave voice to the Sesame Street character Elmo will no longer face three charges of sexual abuse after an appeals court threw out the cases.

Kevin Clash, 53, was accused by multiple men of abusing them 10 years earlier. The U.S. Court of Appeals concurred with a New York judge’s decision to dismiss the cases last summer.

“The case was dismissed because of the statute of limitations. There is no ruling on the merits,” said an attorney for Sheldon Stephens, 25, Clash’s first accuser. Stephens claims Clash abused him when he was 16, PEOPLE reports. Stephens’ case against Clash is still pending, the attorney said.

[PEOPLE]

Contact us at letters@time.com.