RI assistant attorney general to be placed on unpaid leave following Newport body cam incident

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A Special Assistant Attorney General with the office of Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha will be placed on unpaid leave after an alleged trespassing incident that was caught on a Newport police officer’s body camera.

According to Tim Rondeau, Director of Communications at AG Neronha’s office, Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan’s unpaid leave will begin Monday.

When asked how long the leave would be, Rondeau said: “Review is ongoing and will determine the outcome here.”

Flanagan, who works in the AG’s office of the Appellate Unit of the Criminal Division, was arrested on August 14 outside of the Clarke Cook House restaurant.

According to Newport police, Flanagan and her friend Veronica Hannan were asked multiple times by staff to leave the restaurant.

Police arrived and continued to ask the women to leave the premises.

Flanagan was then placed in handcuffs and put in a police cruiser.

In addition to a trespassing charge, Flanagan is also charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Flanagan has worked at the AG’s office for seven years.