Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old great-grandmother with dementia, died in May 2023 after being tasered by a police officer at the Yallambee Lodge nursing home in Cooma, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The incident has led to charges against Senior Constable Kristian White, 33, and raised questions about police use of force on vulnerable individuals.
On May 17, 2023, staff at the facility called police after Nowland was found wandering the premises with a steak knife. When officers arrived, they confronted Nowland, who was using a walker and still holding the knife. Despite repeated requests from staff, paramedics, and police to drop the weapon, Nowland did not comply.
According to court documents, White activated his taser and warned Nowland, saying, “Clare, stop now. See this. This is a taser. Drop it now. Drop it. This is your first warning.”
When Nowland reportedly raised the hand holding the knife to chest height, White discharged his taser, striking her in the chest. The 95-pound woman fell backward, fracturing her skull and suffering a serious brain injury. She was rushed to Cooma Hospital, where she passed away a week later on May 24.
Initially, White faced charges of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault. However, on November 29, 2023, the charges were upgraded to manslaughter following advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The prosecution contends that White’s use of the taser was “a grossly disproportionate response” that violated standard operating procedures. They plan to present police experts as witnesses and compile video evidence, including CCTV recordings and body-camera footage.
On September 11, 2024, Constable White’s legal representation offered the New South Wales Supreme Court a new strategy. Barrister Troy Edwards SC informed the court that he was no longer planning to pursue a previously suggested self-defense argument for his client.
This revelation came as Edwards submitted a request for the case to be tried by a judge alone, forgoing a jury trial. The Crown prosecutor, however, expressed opposition to this proposed change in the trial format.
Edwards added that he planned to introduce testimony from a law enforcement expert specializing in the use of force. Given his situation, this witness would present arguments supporting the notion that White’s actions were reasonable. The defense attorney disclosed this strategy to the New South Wales Supreme Court during Wednesday’s proceedings.
The incident has sparked outrage and protests in Australia, with some calling for the resignation of the police commissioner. It was also revealed that NSW Police media had initially withheld information about the use of a Taser on Nowland, further fueling public concern about transparency in law enforcement.
The Nowland family has taken legal action against New South Wales, filing a civil lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. They’re claiming trespass to the person (equivalent to assault and battery) and negligence. When they released a statement, the family painted a picture of Clare Nowland as someone deeply loved and respected in her community, always ready to give back. They described her as the loving, gentle soul at the heart of the Nowland family, the matriarch who held them all together.
White remains suspended from the NSW Police Force with pay while the case progresses through the court system.