Juvenile hall counselor gets house arrest for repeatedly punching, slamming detained teen in head

FILE - Generic gavel on wodden table. 

A Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall counselor was sentenced to six months of house arrest for repeatedly punching a detained teen in the head and slamming the boy's head against the floor, the district attorney's office said.

Robert Medellin, 46, was convicted on June 1 of felony assault under color of authority for the incident that happened in April.

"There is law and order inside jails and detention centers just as there is on the outside," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. "There is never an acceptable place, moment, or excuse for someone with a badge to use more force than necessary."

Prosecutors said Medellin, a counselor with 20 years on the job, had intervened in a fight between a 17-year-old boy and two other teens.

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Authorities said Medellin grabbed one of the teens who initiated the attack. Then Medellin took the 17-year-old to the floor and punched him a dozen times as the boy tried to protect his head with his hands.

Once Medellin had the juvenile on the ground face down, he slammed the teen's head into the floor one time before he was cuffed, authorities said.

The incident was captured on video, but is not being released to protect the minors' identities.