Rhode Island Attorney General on Unpaid Leave After Arrest

The Rhode Island Attorney General is set to begin unpaid leave following an arrest for resisting arrest related to a viral incident that occurred on August 14th.

Devon Flanagan will start her unpaid leave next Monday after being detained outside Clark Cookhouse on charges initiated by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.

In bodycam footage shared on X, Flanagan can be seen asserting her position, stating, “I’m AG, I’m AG,” as officers took her into custody. She warned them, “You’ll regret this,” while being placed in the police vehicle.

During the arrest, her friends were also detained, and at one point, Flanagan attempted to remove the officer’s handcuffs and threw them to the ground before finally being restrained.

In a radio interview, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha characterized the behavior as “unforgivable,” indicating that “strong sanctions” would likely follow against Flanagan. He expressed disappointment, stating, “I have 110 lawyers. She embarrassed everything. I had no issues like this while I was the Attorney General.” Neronha referenced potential alcohol involvement in the incident but stressed that it wouldn’t excuse Flanagan’s actions.

Neronha added that Flanagan made claims about officers needing to turn off their body cameras, questioning her line of thinking during the incident. He acknowledged the long-term damage to her reputation, describing her situation as humiliating.

Flanagan is due in Newport District Court on August 27th to face the charges before Judge J. Terence Houlihan Jr.