Kristian James Samuel White, an Australian Police Officer, Found Guilty of Manslaughter in Case of 95-Year-Old Nursing Home Resident Killed with Taser
An Australian jury has found a 34-year-old police officer, Kristian James Samuel White, guilty of manslaughter for shocking a 95-year-old nursing home resident with a Taser, causing her death a week later. The officer’s use of the stun gun was deemed “utterly unnecessary and obviously excessive” by prosecutors.
According to reports, White arrived at Yallambee Lodge, a nursing home in Cooma, after Claire Nowland, who was suffering from dementia and weighing around 100 pounds, refused to put down a steak knife she was holding. Despite being instructed multiple times to drop the knife, White discharged his Taser, causing Nowland to fall backward and eventually die from her injuries, which included a severe blow to the head sustained as she struck the floor.
The jury deliberated for 20 hours before arriving at the verdict, finding White guilty of the high-level crime. If sentenced to the maximum 25-year penalty, White could spend over two decades in prison for his actions.
Following the verdict, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb expressed deep sadness and condolences to Nowland’s family, emphasizing that the court’s ruling that Nowland died due to the actions of the officer was unacceptable. In her statement, Webb indicated that the incident would have lasting consequences for the New South Wales Police Force.
In the aftermath of this gruesome incident, the authorities revised their Taser training in January, but unfortunately, no changes were implemented based on the review’s results. The case raises substantial questions about the ethical handling of Tasers, whose primary purpose is to neutralize individuals without using lethality.