Paul Simon's 'Domestic Violence' Arrest: Wife Says She Started It
Music legend Paul Simon and his wife were arrested on domestic violence charges following a spat between spouses Saturday.
Simon, 72, and wife Edie Brickell, 47, were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct at their home in New Canaan, Connecticut, but they appeared holding hands in court Monday. Brickell told CNN through her lawyer that she "picked a fight with [her] husband" but that that "it's orderly now."
What will happen to the domestic violence charges against the singer and his wife?
The Sound of Violence
Simon and Brickell were arrested Saturday night, after police responded to a "911 hang-up call" from their home. According to The Hartford Courant, New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski described the incident as a "minor physical altercation" in which both Simon and Brickell were aggressive.
Although the charges are referred to as domestic violence charges, the actual crime the celebrity pair is accused of is disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor in Connecticut. Similar to disturbing the peace in other jurisdictions, this offense can be committed simply by causing excessively loud noise.
It's unclear how the fight began or if there were any injuries, but officers did find probable cause to arrest one half of Simon and Garfunkel and his wife, reports CNN.
No Protective Order Issued
Typically in domestic violence cases, a criminal judge will grant a protective order preventing the victims or suspects from contacting each other or sharing the same space. In Connecticut, these orders are issued when an arrest for suspected "family violence" occurs.
In Simon and Brickell's case, CNN reports that no protective order was issued. A judge might have determined it was unnecessary, given the amicable attitude of the two in court. Without a protective order keeping them apart, the folk legend and his wife are free to go to Graceland their son's baseball game together.
The couple are due back in court May 16, when prosecutors may decide to dismiss their charges for lack of evidence or lack of public interest in prosecution.
Both Simon and Brickell could still petition the court for a restraining order, but the couple appear to have found a bridge over troubled waters.
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Related Resources:
- Singer Paul Simon and wife arrested after domestic dispute (Reuters)
- 50 Cent Must Turn in Guns in Domestic Violence Case (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- New Measures to Protect Domestic Violence Victims in CT (FindLaw's KnowledgeBase)
- Domestic Violence Information by State (FindLaw)