Charleston, SC — Former New Orleans Saints executive Rita LeBlanc was arrested Monday after allegedly shoving a city parking officer during a heated confrontation in downtown Charleston.
According to Charleston Police, the incident occurred near the intersection of Meeting and Water Streets, where officers were dispatched following reports of a physical altercation involving a parking enforcement officer.
Witnesses and officials say the 48-year-old granddaughter of late Saints owner Tom Benson became irate over a parking violation. During the dispute, she allegedly grabbed a boot-locking device from the officer as they attempted to immobilize a vehicle.
Police charged LeBlanc with hindering a city officer, and she was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center. She was released the following day on a personal recognizance bond. A court appearance is scheduled for July 24.
From NFL Heir to Legal Trouble
Rita LeBlanc was once positioned as the heir to the New Orleans Saints, serving as vice chairman of the board from 2012 to 2014. However, a family rift led her grandfather, Tom Benson, to remove her from the team’s succession plan in late 2014.
According to past reports by Nola.com, LeBlanc’s removal followed an incident in a Saints private suite, where she allegedly grabbed Gayle Benson, Tom’s wife, by the shoulders and shook her. This led to a high-profile legal battle in which LeBlanc, her brother Ryan, and their mother Renee tried to have Tom Benson declared mentally incompetent. The lawsuit was unsuccessful.
After Tom Benson’s death in 2018, Gayle Benson became the principal owner of both the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans.
This recent incident adds to a turbulent public history for LeBlanc, once considered the face of the Saints’ next generation of leadership.
