On the night of August 14, 2025, an incident outside the Clarke Cooke House restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island, thrust a state prosecutor into the national spotlight and ignited a debate about law enforcement protocol, professional conduct, and the pressures facing public officials. Devon Flanagan, a Special Assistant Attorney General for Rhode Island and former Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney, was arrested and charged with trespassing following a confrontation with Newport police officers—a scene that quickly went viral thanks to police body camera footage.
The body camera video, widely shared online and dissected on social media, captures a tense exchange between Flanagan and the officers responding to a report of an "unwanted party" at the upscale waterfront restaurant. According to The Providence Journal and Rhode Island Current, alcohol was involved in the incident, though officials have emphasized that this detail does not excuse Flanagan's behavior.
In the footage, Flanagan can be heard repeatedly ordering officers to switch off their body cameras, asserting, "Your protocol is if I ask you to turn off the body cam, you have to turn it off, and that’s your protocol." Her friend, also present at the scene, chimed in, "She’s a fucking lawyer, so she knows." The officers, however, did not comply, and the video continued to roll as Flanagan resisted arrest, identifying herself by her job title and warning, "I’m an AG, I’m an AG. You’re going to regret this, you’re going to regret it." As the officers placed her in the back of a police car, her friend was also detained after briefly escaping custody and discarding the officers' handcuffs.
Flanagan’s statements about body camera protocol were quickly refuted by law enforcement and state officials. According to The Providence Journal, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association clarified that while officers may turn off their body cameras at the request of a victim or witness in a non-confrontational situation, suspects do not have the authority to make such a request. Newport Police Department policies, as reported by The Boston Herald, further specify that the cameras are intended to document interactions, especially those involving potential criminal conduct or confrontations.
The fallout for Flanagan was swift and public. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, speaking on WPRO Radio and cited by multiple outlets, described the incident as "inexcusable behavior" and promised "strong, strong sanctions" against Flanagan. "I’ve got 110 lawyers. She embarrassed all of them," Neronha said. He acknowledged the challenges of hiring and retaining capable lawyers but made clear that Flanagan’s conduct could not be overlooked: "It’s just really hard to find and keep capable lawyers, and so I just have to think really carefully about this one. But no question there will be a strong, strong sanction here."
Neronha also addressed the lasting personal and professional consequences for Flanagan, noting, "She’s humiliated herself. Regardless of what happens vis-a-vis her employment with us, she’s going to have a long time coming back from this. It’s just really unfortunate." He indicated that Flanagan would be placed on unpaid leave starting Monday, August 25, 2025, though the duration of her leave and her future with the office remained uncertain as of press time. A spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office confirmed to The Boston Herald that Flanagan’s absence would be unpaid, but did not specify further conditions or the possibility of her return.
Flanagan’s career had, until this point, followed a promising trajectory. A graduate of Suffolk Law, she previously worked as an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, in 2017 and 2018. According to Massachusetts payroll records and the State of Rhode Island’s Transparency Portal, she joined the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office in April 2018 and earned $113,921.08 in total compensation in Fiscal Year 2025. Her earlier years in Suffolk County saw more modest earnings, with just under $14,000 each year, reflecting her entry-level status at the time.
The events of August 14 have cast a shadow over Flanagan’s professional reputation. As Rhode Island Current reported, Attorney General Neronha suggested that the incident would leave a permanent mark: "Her reputation will be permanently blemished because of this incident." The fact that the confrontation was captured on video and widely circulated only intensified the scrutiny and public reaction.
Meanwhile, the body camera footage has reignited broader conversations about transparency, accountability, and the evolving role of technology in policing. The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association’s clarification of body camera policy, prompted by Flanagan’s incorrect assertions, underscored the importance of clear guidelines and public understanding. As law enforcement agencies across the country continue to adopt body cameras, questions about privacy, access, and protocol remain at the forefront of public debate.
Flanagan’s legal troubles are not yet over. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Newport District Court before Judge J. Terence Houlihan Jr. on August 27, 2025, as confirmed by online court records and multiple news outlets. The charge of trespassing, while a misdemeanor, carries potential penalties that could further impact her career and standing within the legal community.
The case has also prompted reflection within the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and among public officials more broadly. Neronha, in his radio interview, recalled previous instances of employee misconduct but emphasized that each case required careful consideration. He cited an earlier decision to rehire a lawyer who had been dismissed for driving under the influence, explaining, "I needed somebody to go into a courtroom and try ugly, hard murder cases." The implication was clear: the demands of public service can sometimes lead to difficult personnel decisions, but standards of conduct must be maintained.
For many observers, the Flanagan incident serves as a cautionary tale about the pressures facing public officials, the consequences of momentary lapses in judgment, and the power of technology to shape public perception. The viral spread of the body camera footage ensured that the incident would not be quietly resolved behind closed doors, but rather debated in public forums across Rhode Island and beyond.
As the legal process unfolds, questions remain about Flanagan’s future, the standards to which public servants are held, and the lessons to be drawn from a night that began as a routine police call and ended as a viral controversy. For now, Rhode Island’s legal community and the public at large are left to grapple with the aftermath—and to watch closely as the story continues to develop.
