Juvenile hall counselor charged with assaulting minor

For release on September 7, 2021

CONTACT:

Jason Malinsky
Deputy District Attorney
Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Unit
(408) 792-2428

Juvenile hall counselor charged with assaulting minor

A 46-year-old Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall counselor has been charged with assault by a public official, after the veteran probation employee repeatedly punched a detained minor in the head and slammed his head against the floor.

Robert Medellin’s felony assault happened in April as he was intervening in a fight between the victim and two other juveniles.

Medellin, of Tracy, will be arraigned at a later date. If convicted, he faces incarceration.

“Sometimes force by law enforcement is necessary to stop a dangerous person from hurting others,” DA Jeff Rosen said.” However, excessive force by a person hired to protect and serve minors is unnecessary and wrong. It is over the line, unacceptable, and criminal.”

On April 14, 2021, two juveniles attacked another juvenile in the common area inside one of the juvenile hall buildings. Medellin, a counselor with approximately 18 years on the job, intervened and grabbed one of the juveniles who had initiated the attack. Medellin took the 17-year-old juvenile to the floor and then punched him approximately a dozen times as the juvenile tried to protect his head with his hands. Once Medellin had the juvenile on the ground face down, Medellin slammed the juvenile’s head into the floor one time before he was cuffed. 

The incident was videotaped. The video is not being released by the DA’s Office to protect the juveniles’ identities and the integrity of the case.

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