Australian police officer who tasered 95-year-old man found guilty of manslaughter

SYDNEY, Australia — An Australian police officer fatally tasered a 95-year-old care home resident. stun gun He was found guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday.

Kristian White was called up nursing home In May 2023, Clare Nowland resident of Cooma, a town about 90 minutes south of the capital Canberra dementiaHe was acting indecisive.

That’s when police said he shocked Nowland, who was holding a steak knife, with a stun gun. He later died in hospital.

A spokesman for the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the state where the incident occurred, said the jury found White guilty of manslaughter in Nowland after almost a week of deliberations.

He is expected to be sentenced later this week. Manslaughter in the state carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Police are reviewing White’s employment following his conviction, State Police Commissioner Karen Webb said at a news conference Wednesday.

Police added that it reviewed its policy on the use of Tasers in January and found no update was necessary.

“Policy and education are appropriate. “The essence of this issue is about the implementation of the use of equipment,” he said.

The case sparked outrage in Australia and drew attention to the use of force by police in the country.

Nowland’s death came the same week that a police officer in the same state was found guilty of assault following an incident involving the county’s 16-year-old. indigenous community In 2020.

The state’s police force is currently being sued by hundreds of music fans who claim they were illegally strip-searched by police officers at music festivals across the state from 2016 to 2022.