Rhode Island’s legal community has been rocked by a viral video showing Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan being arrested for trespassing outside a Newport restaurant, raising questions about accountability, privilege, and the standards expected from those who serve in public office. The incident, which unfolded on August 14, 2025, at the Clarke Cooke House on Bannister’s Wharf, has left Flanagan’s career hanging in the balance and prompted a public reckoning within the state’s attorney general’s office.
According to Fox News and Boston 25 News, the trouble began when Flanagan allegedly refused to leave the restaurant after being asked by staff. Police were called to the scene, and body camera footage—later posted widely on social media—captured the tense moments that followed. Flanagan, who has worked for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office for seven years, repeatedly told officers, “I want you to turn your body cam off.” The officers, following department policy, declined to comply. As one officer explained, Flanagan was a suspect in the case, not a victim, and therefore the cameras would remain on.
The video shows Flanagan pleading with officers, identifying herself by her position in an apparent attempt to influence the situation. “I’m an AG! I’m an AG!” she can be heard shouting as she was placed in handcuffs and escorted to a nearby police cruiser. At one point, she warned, “You’re going to regret this. You’re going to regret it.” Her attempts to leverage her role did little to sway the officers, and the footage ended with Flanagan being loaded into the back of a police car.
The fallout was immediate and severe. Initially placed on paid leave while the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office reviewed the incident, Flanagan was notified that, starting Monday, August 25, she would be on unpaid leave. As reported by Fox News, her future with the office remains uncertain, with no timeline for a final decision. State payroll records cited by the Boston Globe indicate that Flanagan was earning approximately $113,000 a year in her position.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha did not mince words in a radio interview following the incident. Calling Flanagan’s actions “inexcusable behavior,” he pledged that there would be “strong, strong sanctions” forthcoming. “I’ve got 110 lawyers. She embarrassed all of them. I haven’t had many issues like this while I’ve been attorney general. I’ve had a few, and I let one guy go for driving drunk—had to bring him back. Well, I didn’t have to but did bring him back after I fired him about a year later because, again, I needed somebody to go into a courtroom and try ugly, hard murder cases,” Neronha told WPRO Radio, as reported by multiple outlets. “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 suggested that alcohol may have played a role in the incident but was clear that this did not excuse the behavior. “I’m not sure what she was thinking. Clearly, she was not thinking straight,” he said, adding, “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.”
One of the more contentious moments in the body cam footage was Flanagan’s insistence that officers were required to turn off their body cameras if she requested it. Neronha addressed this directly, stating unequivocally that Flanagan was incorrect. “She was not correct about police body camera protocol,” he said. The Newport Police Department confirmed that their officers do not turn off body cams at the request of suspects, only in very specific circumstances involving victims or sensitive situations, and not during an active investigation of alleged criminal behavior.
As the video continued to circulate, public reaction was swift and divided. Some expressed outrage at what they saw as an attempt to use official status to evade accountability, while others noted that Flanagan had previously maintained an unblemished record and was highly regarded by the state bar association. According to Fox News, she is now taking steps to make amends with the Newport Police Department, including issuing an apology.
The episode has also reignited a broader conversation about the conduct of public officials and the challenges faced by those in high-pressure legal roles. Neronha acknowledged the difficulty of recruiting and retaining talented lawyers in the public sector, especially when incidents like this threaten to undermine public trust. “It’s just really hard to find and keep capable lawyers, and so I just have to think really carefully about this one,” he said, hinting at the complexity of balancing accountability with the practical needs of his office.
For now, Flanagan’s career remains in limbo. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Newport District Court before Judge J. Terence Houlihan Jr. on August 27, 2025, according to court records. The incident remains under active investigation by both the Attorney General’s office and the Newport Police Department, and Flanagan’s employment status is under review, with no clear timeline for resolution.
The case has drawn attention not only within Rhode Island but across the nation, serving as a stark reminder of the high standards to which public servants are held—and the very public consequences when those standards are not met. As the state awaits the outcome of both the legal proceedings and the internal review, many will be watching to see what message Rhode Island’s top law enforcement office sends about integrity, responsibility, and redemption in the wake of scandal.
Whatever the final decision, the events of August 14 have already left a lasting mark on Flanagan’s professional reputation and on the state’s legal landscape.