South Carolina police officer uses stun gun on 75-year-old woman in nursing home dispute

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- A police officer used a stun gun on a 75-year-old woman who became distraught when she could not locate a sick friend at a nursing home, according to an internal report.

Officer Hattie Jean Macon received a verbal warning and was required to attend a Taser retraining course after the investigation found she acted prematurely when she used the 50,000-volt Taser, according to the report released Thursday.

Macon was called to the nursing home after Margaret Kimbrell refused to leave. Kimbrell has said she was distraught after the staff would not disclose the location of her sick friend, and she became concerned the friend had died.

Kimbrell jerked away from the officer and swung her arm at Macon, according to a police report. The officer then fired the Taser, police said.

Kimbrell, who has claimed she did not swing her arms or threaten Macon, was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest. Her lawyer has said she will plead not guilty and may sue the department.