A 95-year-old woman who was fatally tasered by an Australian police officer has been found guilty of manslaughter.

• An Australian police officer, Kristian James Samuel White, has been convicted of manslaughter after using a Taser to stun a 95-year-old nursing home resident.
• On Wednesday, after 20 hours of deliberation, the jury in Sydney reached a verdict.
• When sentenced, White, who is on bail, could face up to 25 years in prison.

An Australian court found a police officer guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday for shocking a 95-year-old nursing home resident with a Taser.

In Sydney, a jury convicted Kristian James Samuel White after 20 hours of deliberation, and he could face up to 25 years in prison when sentenced.

In May 2023, Clare Nowland, a great-grandmother with dementia and a walker, refused to put down the steak knife she was holding. The officer then shocked her with his Taser, causing her to fall backward. She died a week later in the hospital.

According to the police, Nowland's fatal injuries were caused by hitting her head on the floor, not from the electric shock of the device.

The employment of White is being reviewed and is subject to legal procedures, as stated by NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb following the verdict.

Claire Nowland's death was caused by the actions of a police officer, according to Webb, who expressed her "deepest condolences" to the family. Despite a review of the Taser policy and training in January, no changes were made by the state's police.

During the New South Wales Supreme Court trial, video footage showed White saying "nah, bugger it" before shooting, after the officers had instructed Nowland to drop the knife 21 times. White, 34, testified that he believed anyone with a knife was dangerous, according to the Guardian.

After an eight-day trial, the jury found that White's use of the Taser was not a proportionate response to the threat posed by Nowland, who weighed about 100 pounds.

Local news outlets reported that the prosecutor contended that White's use of the Taser was "totally unnecessary and clearly excessive."

The use of Tasers by officers in the state sparked discussions about their effectiveness and proper application.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that Nowland, a resident of Yallambee Lodge, a nursing home in Cooma, was survived by eight children, 24 grandchildren, and 31 great-grandchildren.