Rhode Island Attorney General Suspends Prosecutor Over Viral Arrest

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Monday that Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan will be placed on unpaid leave for six months following her arrest on August 14. Flanagan was charged with willful trespass outside the Clarke Cooke House restaurant in Newport.

Video footage from the incident shows Flanagan repeatedly demanding police to turn off their body cameras while asserting, “I’m an AG,” as officers placed her in handcuffs. Neronha, in a statement, described Flanagan’s behavior as “inexcusable” and said it embarrassed the Newport Police Department as well as his office.

“We hold our attorneys to the highest personal and professional standards, and Ms. Flanagan plainly did not meet those standards here,” Neronha said. Following their meeting on Monday, he placed Flanagan on leave and expressed hope that she would reflect on her actions during this time.

“I sincerely hope she takes this time to reflect on the seriousness of her conduct and makes corrective changes in her life,” he added. Flanagan also sent apology letters to the officers involved in the arrest, according to a spokesperson for Neronha.

The Newport police received a complaint about an intoxicated woman refusing to leave the restaurant, leading to Flanagan’s arrest. Police records indicate that Flanagan, 34, of Warwick, has worked in the Rhode Island attorney general’s office for nearly seven years and earns an annual salary of about $113,000.

Hannan, the woman Flanagan was with during the arrest, was also charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Both are misdemeanors. Flanagan’s arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday.