Yonkers cop charged with violation of woman’s civil rights by allegedly assault her

WHITE PLAINS – A Yonkers City police officer who grabbed a woman and slammed her to the floor causing injuries to her was charged in a federal criminal complaint Friday with violating her civil rights.

Officer Wayne Simoes, 38, and other officers responded to a radio call on March 3, 2007 to assist an injured person at a restaurant in Yonkers. When Irma Marquez leaned over the injured person, one of the officers moved her out of the way to the other side of the room.

Simoes then walked over to her, grabbed her around the waist from behind, lifted her into the air, and threw her to the floor, face down, before handcuffing her.

Marquez was hospitalized and suffered a broken jaw as well as lacerations and contusions to her face and body as a result of Simoes’ uses of force, the court papers allege.

His conduct was captured on videotape and witnessed by other officers.
The complaint charges Simoes with violation of federal civil rights laws, which make it a crime to willfully deprive a person of rights secured and protected by the Constitution of the United States, in this case, the right to be free from the use of excessive force by a law enforcement officer in the course of an arrest, stop or seizure.

He was released on $300,000 personal recognizance bond. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Simoes is a resident of Yonkers.