November 11th 2024.
According to witness testimony, a police officer used a taser on a 95-year-old patient with dementia at an aged-care home in Cooma, New South Wales. The incident occurred in May 2023 and the officer, Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White, pled not guilty to manslaughter in front of a jury.
It is said that White and his partner visited the Yallambee Lodge aged-care home after receiving reports of an aggressive patient wielding a steak knife. The patient, Clare Nowland, was described as being in a state of confusion and had used her walking frame to approach the officers while holding the knife. Despite being warned multiple times, White made the decision to use his taser, saying "bugger it" before deploying it.
Unfortunately, Nowland fell and hit her head on the floor, resulting in an inoperable brain bleed. She passed away a week later at the hospital. During White's arraignment, he maintained his plea of not guilty when asked by the judge. His partner was present in court to support him, while a large number of Nowland's family also attended the trial.
The jury was informed that White had followed protocol and issued warnings before using the taser, but the prosecution argues that he went against his training by using it on an elderly and vulnerable patient. The trial is ongoing and more information will be revealed as it progresses.
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