Jury finds police officer who tasered 95yo woman guilty of manslaughter
www.abc.net.au
A NSW Supreme Court jury has returned its verdict over the death of a great-grandmother who had a fatal confrontation with police in an aged care home.

In short:

A NSW Supreme Court jury has found Kristian White guilty of the manslaughter of Clare Nowland, who he tasered at her aged care home in May 2023.

Mrs Nowland fell and hit her head and died in Cooma Hospital one week later.

What’s next?

White’s bail has been continued and the proceedings have been adjourned to tomorrow to consider the Crown’s detention application.

  • Aussiemandeus
    439·
    1 month ago

    I think this is wrong.

    Any one with a knife is dangerous, a tazer is a reasonable use of force.

    It’s unfortunate she fell and died, but that could happen any time anyone is tazered.

    • subignition@fedia.io
      40·
      1 month ago

      Are you out of your fucking mind?

      She was 95 and using a walker… that’s not threatening to an adult in their thirties, let alone the FIVE adults (police + paramedics) that were responding.

      You can watch her walking around in the CCTV footage in the article.

      The officer that used the Taser was not in any danger, he was impatient.

      She was later found by paramedics and police officers, including White, in a nurses’ room at the facility with one steak knife.

      An exchange lasted for about three minutes where officers attempted to get Mrs Nowland to drop the knife and stop moving, before White said “bugger it” and deployed his taser.

      Seriously, are you trolling? Or did you stop to read and understand the article for exactly zero seconds before posting this?

    • TaleyaEnglish
      151·
      1 month ago

      It’s reasonable force in face of threat.

      A 96 year old whose frenzied attack speed is slower than walking pace is not a fucking threat

    • octopus_ink@lemmy.mlEnglish
      11·
      1 month ago

      Mr Hatfield said White’s use of the taser in his role as a police officer was unnecessary and excessive, given Mrs Nowland’s advanced age, her reliance on a walker, her demented state, her fall risk, and that the officers present were able to move away from her.

      Yep.

    • ms.lane@lemmy.worldEnglish
      71·
      1 month ago

      Have you seen the video, she wasn’t dangerous in the slightest.

      You should probably head over to America and stay there if you want that level of ‘safety’

    • NaevaTheRat [she/her]@vegantheoryclub.orgEnglish
      1·
      1 month ago

      The only part of your comment that’s sane:

      It’s unfortunate she fell and died, but that could happen any time anyone is tazered.

      As the court notes, they had the option to retreat, they could wait and attempt other things. Nobody was in danger, it was against police policy to use a taser in that situation. Even the police training thinks it was excessive.

      You are just wrong.