“Shock & Awe: Police Officer Charged with Manslaughter After Taser Death of 95-Year-Old Woman in Nursing Home

An Australian police officer has been charged with manslaughter in connection to the death of an elderly woman, who was tasered in a nursing home. The 95-year-old woman, Ambulance Victoria paramedic Joanne Finch, had requested police assistance after a dispute with another resident on September 6th, 2019 at a nursing home in Victoria. Police officers arrived on the scene and found Finch was armed with a knife. According to media reports, an altercation ensued in which Finch was tasered multiple times. Finch later died in hospital. Victoria police have now charged the police officer with manslaughter, saying that “it was no longer reasonably necessary for the officer to use the taser” and that the use of the taser “resulted in her death”. This is the first time that a police officer has ever been charged with manslaughter in the history of Victoria. The case has sparked outrage in the community, who are demanding justice for Finch and her family. Her niece, Katie Reade, says that the incident has shaken the entire family. “Our family and the community have lost an incredible woman who enjoyed being alive right up until her dying days,” she said. The story of Finch’s death has shined a spotlight on police use of force in Australia and brought into question the actions of police officers in charge of protecting the lives and safety of citizens. The case will be heard by the Victorian Supreme Court, when a trial date is set.