Man Arrested for Assaulting Cookie Monster

L A N G H O R N E, Pa., June 21, 2001 -- A man's plan to have his young daughter

meet the Cookie Monster crumbled when he was arrested for allegedly

assaulting the furry blue Sesame Street character.

Police say Lee P. McPhatter, upset that the Cookie Monster wouldnot pose for a picture at the Sesame Place theme park, shoved andkicked the employee inside the costume. McPhatter, 22, of Waldorf,Md., denies the allegations.

"People started yelling at me that I should be ashamed ofmyself for hitting Cookie Monster. I did not kick or punch CookieMonster. The cop did not want to hear my side of the story, and Igot arrested," said McPhatter, who described the character as his3-year-old daughter Mina's favorite.

Middletown police said that 21-year-old Jennie McNelis sufferedbruised ribs and a cervical sprain when McPhatter shoved her to theground, then kicked her in the head and back.

Suspect: Character Pushed Daughter

McPhatter said his daughter was getting pushed around by otherswaiting to talk to the Cookie Monster. McPhatter said he askedtwice for the character to pose with his daughter, but McNelis"aggressively" put a big blue paw on his daughter's head andpushed her.

McNelis, who is back at work, said she is not permitted todiscuss the incident. Sesame Street spokeswoman Audrey Shapiroconfirmed that the incident took place, but called it a rare event. "Our characters do not act the way this man said," shecontinued. "It is an honor to be Cookie Monster."

McPhatter is free on $20,000 unsecured bail following the June 9incident. He said he would fight the charges, which include simpleassault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

"Why would someone take their 3-year-old daughter to the parkand attack Cookie Monster?" he asked. "I would never do that infront of my daughter."