On November 27, the family of Constable Kristian White gathered to hear the verdict against him at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney. The officer was convicted of manslaughter over the death of 97-year-old Clare Nowland. She was a great-grandmother who suffered from dementia and used a walker to get around.

On May 17, 2023, around 5 am, White and another officer were called in to resolve actions by a frantic woman. Nowland was reported to have held two steak knives in her nursing home. Before the police arrived, she had been moving around different rooms, causing fear to others.

Once the officers arrived, they tried to address the situation by conversing with the deceased. However, dementia kicked in for a few minutes after the officers advised the woman to drop the knives. She refused, still holding the weapons.

Noticing this, 34-year-old Kristian White immediately tasered the senior citizen. Unfortunately, the shock sent her to the ground. Per ABC News Australia, the fall led to a bruise on her head, and she was rushed to the hospital. The doctors diagnosed an inoperable brain damage which led to her death.

Following the incident, the police unit relieved the officer of his duty. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed that he could have reacted differently, adding that his actions were “utterly unnecessary.”

On November 27, in front of his family and Nowland’s, White made a case for himself in court, sharing his side of the story. The 34-year-old confessed that he felt threatened and thought that the taser would control the situation. For now, the officer is back home as he was released on bail. But his sentencing has been set for a future date.

#Clique, what are your thoughts?