Lawsuits seek to police Yonkers cops

An attorney behind six lawsuits filed against the Yonkers Police Department says the city and top brass need to do more to stop abuses. Lawyer Richard St. Paul, a New Rochelle City Council member, filed

News 12 Staff

Jun 30, 2008, 11:46 PM

Updated 5,925 days ago

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An attorney behind six lawsuits filed against the Yonkers Police Department says the city and top brass need to do more to stop abuses.
Lawyer Richard St. Paul, a New Rochelle City Council member, filed the suits in May. According to St. Paul, more suits are likely to come. Accusations include negligence, assault, battery, malicious prosecution and civil rights abuses.
One man, who was never charged with any crime, is seeking $6 million in damages. He claims two officers made him pull down his pants, hold his genitals and cough inside a building.
The suits come as a Yonkers officer is charged with excessive force for allegedly body slamming a woman. Last Friday, at the urging of the NAACP, federal agents arrested Officer Wayne Simoes for violating Irma Marquez's civil rights in an incident that was caught on surveillance video.
Neither Mayor Phil Amicone or Police Commissioner Edmund Hartnett would comment on camera about the lawsuits, but a spokesperson for the mayor said these types of lawsuits are common when people are acquitted.
A statement read, "There is nothing in any of these cases that indicates any wrongdoing on the part of the police officers involved. It's unfortunate that a handful of lawsuits brought by a single firm in the business of bringing these types of cases are taking away from the excellent job our police are doing."
"I think it all has to do with the management coming from the commissioner's office up the ranks of the mayor's office," St. Paul said. "There are a few bad apples in the Yonkers Police Department who need to either be fired or disciplined."