Charges Dropped Against 2 Men Arrested In Fight With Newport Officers

NEWPORT, RI — Charges were dropped last month against two men who were arrested after a filmed incident with Newport police turned violent.

The charges against Dennis Engleson and Christopher Adams, both 22, and of Newport, were dismissed in Newport Superior Court, according to court records obtained by WPRI 12.

The arrests happened after a bar closed in Newport on June 27. A video of the Thames Street incident shows a uniformed police officer pushing one man, forcing another to fall to the ground. The video also shows one man being thrown into a pole. The video also shows the officer striking a man in the face before tackling him to the ground.

But Newport police said Officer John Sullivan was on patrol for crowd control when a bar was closing near Thames Street and Green Street. Police said Sullivan Engleson threw a silicone bar mat at someone walking on the sidewalk.

Police said Sullivan asked Engleson and his friends to leave the area immediately.

"Engleson began to leave but continuously yelled towards Officer J. Sullivan, then proceeded to pick up the mat again," police said in the news release. "Officer J. Sullivan told Engleson five separate times to leave the area, but he continued to yell and act belligerently, making it clear to the officer that he was not leaving the bar area."

Sullivan arrested Engleson and charged him with disorderly conduct. Police said Engleson implied he was not going to be arrested and turned away. Engleson, resisted arrest and additional officers were called to the scene, police said.

Both Sullivan and Engelson's lawyers refuted Newport police's claims, denying either did anything wrong. Both men pleaded not guilty to several charges, including resisting arrest and obstruction of a police officer. Engelson was also charged with disorderly conduct.

The officer caught on video hitting Adams was not charged following an investigation by Attorney General Peter Neronha's Office.