This Wednesday, November 27, an Australian police officer was convicted of manslaughter after tasing a 95-year-old resident in a senior citizen facility.
During an attack of dementia
One May 2023, Clare Nowland95, a resident of a retirement home in New South Wales, threatened medical staff with a knife during a dementia attack. The police officers called to the scene had difficulty handling the situation. Kristian Whiteone of the officers, used a taser, causing Clare to fall and lose consciousness. She died ten days later from her injuries, reports BFMTV. This Wednesday, November 27, the Supreme Court found the agent guilty of involuntary manslaughter, taking into account the circumstances and the age of the victim. This affair has sparked lively debate in Australia.
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Excessive and unjustified act
The 17th of 2023, Clare Nowland wandered the corridors of the establishment. Unable to defuse the situation, the caregivers contacted the police. Kristian White used a taser after asking the nonagenarian to put down her weapon, claiming to perceive an imminent threat. The Supreme Court deemed the police officer’s action excessive and unjustified, considering that the nonagenarian required appropriate care. The deceased’s family lawyer, Sam Tierney, told the Guardian : “It will take some time for the family to accept the jury’s confirmation that Clare’s death at the hands of a serving NSW police officer was a criminal and wrongful act. The family would like to thank the judge and jury for ‘have carefully examined the matter’.
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