Clare Nowland death: Labor reject calls to release body-worn footage of tasered dementia sufferer

NSW Labor are fighting to vote down calls to release the body-worn images of police involved in the taser of 95-year-old great-grandmother Clare Nowland.

Ms Nowland tragically died in hospital at about 7pm on Wednesday evening, just hours after the officer involved in the incident was charged with grievous bodily harm.

Senior Constable Kristian White, 33, tasered Ms Nowland at around 4am last Wednesday at her retirement home in Cooma.

She was holding a kitchen knife and her walker at the time of the incident, weighed only 43 kg and suffered from dementia.

The opposition demanded on Wednesday that police release body-worn images of the incident to ensure transparency.

Damien Tudehope, a Liberal MP, said: “It’s not good enough for the police to say, ‘I can take and release bodycam footage in circumstances where I can make arrests anywhere.’ But when it doesn’t suit them, the cover-up begins.

‘Then we lose confidence in the transparency of how this system works.’

But Agriculture and Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty closed the motion, arguing that there should be ‘no political interference’ for ‘the investigation into the actions of the officer involved to proceed’.

“The Critical Incidents investigation is led by some of the state’s best detectives in the Homicide Division. We must let the investigation take its course.’

She described the opposing side’s actions as “despicable” examples of “playing politics.”

Her immediate action to dismiss the opposition caused chaos in the room and accusations of ‘cover up’.

The Greens largely supported the push to release footage, but wanted to change the requirement that it be published immediately.

Instead, they believe it should be released “as soon as possible.”

Speaking on behalf of the Greens, Sue Higginson noted that police appear to have no qualms about releasing images of “an alleged drug dealer, motorcyclist or organized crime figure” and that they are therefore confident must have to release images of any of them.

Mr Tudehope said: “Every day the footage goes unreleased is another day people ask, ‘What’s being covered up?'”.

Despite international outcry over the incident, Commissioner Karen Webb has refused to view bodycam footage of Ms Nowland being tasered.

She also refused to release the footage to the public, saying she is “concerned” that people want to see it.

The police chief said she may need to watch the video “as a decision maker in this organization… (but) I don’t see any value in watching that footage now that I don’t know… post that incident.”

When asked again on Wednesday evening why she would not release the footage of Ms Nowland being tasered, she replied: ‘I am not the investigator’.

Amid growing outrage, a Change.org petition calling for the video to be released has garnered more than 16,000 signatures.

Comments made by the police officer before the Taser was fired would be central to the investigation.

A taser should only be used by officers as the second last resort, the last resort being a handgun.

Rod Roberts, a member of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and a 20-year former police officer, told the NSW Legislative Council on Wednesday that the incident “is not a matter of law and order.”

“What are the police doing at 4 a.m. in a nursing home? In addition to the police – and rightly so – the spotlight should also be on this nursing home.’

But he resisted calls from the opposition to label the decision not to release images a ‘cover-up’.

“The NSW Police have a hold of this incident,” he said. “It knows it made a mistake.

‘Cover? Which cover up? We know they are to blame. Releasing this video will do nothing but cause distress to the family.”

He urged politicians to imagine images of their own mother, grandmother or great-grandmother pasted all over the leader of the opposition’s voyeuristic delight.

“Releasing the video will go nowhere. Imagine the other residents of that nursing home in Cooma watching what happened to poor Clare. This leads nowhere. It doesn’t need to be aired in public.”

The senior officer at the center of the tragedy is reportedly 188cm tall and weighs about 140kg, more than three times the size of Ms Nowland who weighs 43kg and is 157cm tall.

The blast caused Mrs. Nowland to fall and hit her head, causing a cerebral hemorrhage.

She tragically passed away on Wednesday night — a week after the incident — after receiving end-of-life care.

NSW Police issued a statement saying: ‘It is with great sadness that we confirm this evening the death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland in Cooma.

“Ms. Nowland passed away peacefully in hospital shortly after 7pm…surrounded by family and loved ones who have asked for privacy at this sad and difficult time.

“Our thoughts and condolences remain with those who were fortunate enough to know, love and be loved by Ms. Nowland during a life she led marked by family, kindness and community.”

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley also offered her condolences.

‘On behalf of the NSW Government, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the Nowland family for the loss of their much-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Clare Nowland.

“Our sympathies and thoughts also go out to the community of Cooma, Mrs. Nowland’s friends, as well as the residents and caretakers of Cooma Yallambee Lodge.

“We will continue to support the Nowland family as they mourn this loss and we urge people to respect their privacy at this time,” Ms Catley said.