Rhode Island Assistant AG Arrested for Trespassing Amidst Bodycam Dispute

Incident Overview

• 🚨 A Special Assistant Attorney General (AG), Devon Flanagan, was arrested for alleged trespassing.
• 📌 The arrest occurred after a dispute over body camera protocol, with Flanagan asserting her rights as an AG.

Bodycam Protocol Dispute

• 📹 Flanagan and her companion were asked to leave a property, and a request was made to turn off their body cameras.
• 🗣️ Flanagan insisted that the protocol required officers to turn off their body cameras if requested by a citizen, a claim disputed by the arresting officers.
• ⚖️ She identified herself as an AG, implying her authority and knowledge of legal protocols.

Escalation and Arrest

• ⚠️ The situation escalated when officers stated they had probable cause to detain Flanagan for not leaving the property.
• ⛓️ Despite identifying herself and her companion as AGs, Flanagan was placed in handcuffs.
• 🚗 Flanagan's badge was reportedly in her car, and she was eventually placed in a police vehicle.

Witness Accounts and Reactions

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A man, identified as Flanagan's husband, intervened, stating she was not doing anything wrong.
• 😥 A woman, identified as Flanagan's friend, expressed fear and pleaded with the officers not to proceed with the arrest.
• 🗣️ The arresting officers maintained that Flanagan was overreacting and that the situation could have been avoided.

Charges and Outcome

• 📜 Flanagan was charged with willful trespass and given a district court summons.
• ⚖️ Another individual, Veronica Hannan, was also charged with willful trespass, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.