Elmo Accuser Recants His Recant

Sheldon Stephens goes back to original story
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 19, 2012 10:44 AM CST
Elmo Accuser Recants His Recant
In this Jan. 24, 2011 file photo, Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash poses with the "Sesame Street" muppet in the Fender Music Lodge during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.   (AP Photo/Victoria Will, File)

The Sesame Street sex scandal is indeed far from over: Sheldon Stephens, the 23-year-old who says Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash had sex with him when he was 16 and Clash was 45, recanted those allegations last week—but now he's recanting his recant, TMZ reports. Over the weekend, TMZ reported that Clash had paid Stephens $125,000 to recant his story; now Stephens has met with his lawyers to tell them he was indeed pressured into it (he was reportedly crying during the negotiations while saying he didn't want to sign), and he's now switching back to his original story.

He also wants to undo the settlement, and sources say he's happy to give up the $125,000. Last week, the Smoking Gun took a look at Stephens, a struggling model/actor who has been arrested a few times on charges ranging from passing a bad check to reckless driving to robbing a former employer at knifepoint. (More Kevin Clash stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X