The Jack-Booted Thug of the Week...

... is Donna, Texas police sergeant George Novelo, for his unbelievably cruel multiple pepper-spraying of an unresisting 17-year-old boy, who was already confined in a jail cell, in apparent retaliation for the suspect doing nothing more than mouthing off to the officer.



"A probable cause affidavit shows Hidalgo County Sheriff's investigators believe Novelo had no just cause to spray Donna high school student Jonathan Morales three times while he sat in jail last week."

That's patently obvious from even a casual glance at the footage.

To make matters worse, Novelo further tortured the boy (and violated police policy) by shirking his responsibility to help wash away the irritant once a suspect is under control, according to Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino, to whose office the case was referred for investigation:

"'In my opinion, that is probably one of the most egregious forms of police brutality I have ever witnessed,' the sheriff said."

"Officer" Novelo has appropriately now himself been arrested and charged with assault, oppression and violating the youth's civil rights, all misdemeanors carrying a potential sentence of one year in jail and $4,000 fine each.  We trust this will be enough to bring his career in law enforcement to an abrupt and well-deserved end.

Thanks and sincere appreciation must go to Sheriff Trevino for recognizing the seriousness of this case and investigating it promptly and thoroughly, with no whitewashing of the details just because the suspect wears a badge for a living.