Paul Simon, wife Edie Brickell charged with disorderly conduct after domestic dispute

Paul Simon and his wife, singer Edie Brickell, walked hand-in-hand into the Norwalk, Conn., courthouse Monday morning after each was charged with disorderly conduct Saturday at their home in New Canaan.

New Canaan Chief of Police Leon Krolikowski told The Hartford Courant that officers received a 911 hang-up call about 8:20 p.m. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Simon, 72, and Brickell, 48, had been involved in a physical altercation that produced minor injuries. "There was aggressiveness on both sides," Krolikowski said.

Simon told a Norwalk Superior Court judge that he had a rare argument with his wife.

While Connecticut law mandates arrests in domestic-violence calls, neither Simon -- who gained fame with the folk-pop duo Simon & Garfunkel and went on to win a dozen Grammy Awards -- nor his wife of nearly 22 years was taken into custody. Both were cooperative with police and were issued misdemeanor summonses to appear in court, Krolikowski said.

"Before we left the scene we made assurances both were safe," Krolikowski said. "One of the parties agreed to leave and did leave." He added, "Frankly, they're both victims."

Simon and Brickell -- who has released more than a dozen albums herself and is best known for her work with her band The New Bohemians -- were married in 1992, and have three children. Brickell performed earlier this month with Steve Martin at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury.

Simon's publicist referred Newsday requests for comments to the singer's attorney, who did not respond. Brickell's assistant also did not respond.