NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Lauren Pazienza, the 27-year-old woman who fatally shoved an 87-year-old voice teacher on a Chelsea street last year, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and will be sentenced to eight years in state prison, the Manhattan D.A. announced Wednesday.
Pazienza had faced up to 25 years in prison on the first-degree manslaughter charge in the unprovoked shoving of Barbara Gustern—a respected voice coach known for her work with Blondie singer Debbie Harry—on West 28th Street on the night of March 10, 2022.
In addition to the eight-year sentence, the Long Island native will be subject to five years post-release supervision under the plea deal. Sentencing is on Sept. 29, 2023.
Pazienza’s lawyer had said in June that the defense and prosecutors were discussing a plea bargain with a “very long” sentence. “Lauren agrees she needs to be punished,” attorney Arthur Aidala said at the time. “She understands there is a punishment and a price to pay… She is seriously considering taking some sort of a disposition that puts her in jail for a very long time.”
Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg said the conviction “holds Pazienza accountable for her deadly actions.”
“Lauren Pazienza aggressively shoved Barbara Gustern to the ground and walked away as the beloved New Yorker lay there bleeding,” Bragg said. “We continue to mourn the loss of Barbara Gustern, a talented musical theater performer and vocal coach who touched so many in New York City and beyond.”
According to prosecutors, Pazienza had been arguing with her fiancé and had consumed several glasses of wine when she walked up to Gustern at 8:30 p.m., shouted obscenities at her and shoved her to the ground. The two did not know each other or have any prior interaction.
Gustern fell back head-first onto the pavement, causing massive hemorrhage to the left side of her brain. She was removed from life support five days later.
Pazienza lingered near the scene of the attack for 20 minutes but didn’t try to help and ultimately took the subway back to the Astoria apartment she shared with her fiancé. She soon deleted her social media accounts, took down her wedding website and fled to Long Island to stay with her family before cops arrested her days later on March 22. She has been held at Rikers Island.
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