Australian Police Officer Charged with Manslaughter in Taser Incident
Senior Constable Kristian White faces charges after 95-year-old Clare Nowland, a dementia patient, died following a taser incident in a nursing home.
- Senior Constable Kristian White, an Australian police officer, has been charged with manslaughter following the death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, who was tasered in a nursing home.
- Nowland, who suffered from dementia and was frail, fell and hit her head after being tasered, leading to her death a week later.
- White had initially been charged with multiple offenses including recklessly causing grievous bodily harm and assault, but the charges were upgraded to manslaughter following advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- The incident occurred after police were called to the nursing home due to reports of a resident armed with a knife. Nowland was reportedly holding a steak knife and did not drop it when asked to do so.
- White, who remains suspended from the force with pay, is due to appear in court on December 6.