Lauren Pazienza Pleads Guilty: Lauren Pazienza, who is 28 years old, of Long Island, pleaded guilty to shoving 87-year-old Broadway singing instructor Barbara Maier Gustern on Wednesday. This plea avoids a possible 25-year sentence she could have faced in a trial.
Grandmother and Broadway singing coach Barbara Maier Gustern helped musical stars in New York City.
Pazienza accepted an eight-year prison term under a plea deal for her unprovoked attack on Gustern on March 10, 2022. The incident took place near Chelsea Park, with Pazienza shouting at the elderly woman before forcefully pushing her to the ground. The impact caused a severe hemorrhage in Gustern’s brain, leading to her death five days later.
Gustern was assaulted close to her Chelsea residence. After the attack, Pazienza lingered in the vicinity for approximately 20 minutes before heading to her Queens apartment via subway. She’s scheduled to return to court for sentencing next Tuesday.
The motive behind the unanticipated and violent attack remains unclear. Eyewitness accounts and court records detailed the brutal nature of the assault, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg condemning Pazienza’s “deadly actions.”
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Upon being confronted by Gustern, Pazienza verbally abused her before delivering the fatal shove. EMS was called to the scene, but Gustern succumbed to her injuries after being removed from life support on March 15, 2022.
Pazienza told her fiance about the attack that happened that night after it happened. She then tried to get rid of her online influence by deleting her social media accounts and wedding website. She then sought refuge with family on Long Island. Pazienza has been held without bail since May 2022.
The late Gustern’s notable contributions to the arts include her role as the Voice Director for the Oklahoma! Revival and collaborations with award-winning figures like Austin Pendelton. Barbara Bleier, an artist, remembers Gustern because of how her energy spread. Bleier said that she was like an 87-year-old kid. Gustern went to fancy places like Columbia University and The Julliard School. He also did art stuff. She sang at cool places like the Greenwich Symphony and the New York City Opera.
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Our Reader’s Queries
How much time will Lauren Pazienza serve?
The event planner, Lauren Pazienza, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for pushing 87-year-old Broadway vocal coach, Barbara Gustern, to the ground in a random attack in 2022. In August, Pazienza pleaded guilty to manslaughter as part of a plea deal for eight years in prison.
What is the plea deal for Pazienza?
PAZIENZA has agreed to a plea deal that will see her serving eight years in state prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 29, 2023. This comes after she forcefully pushed Barbara Gustern to the ground, leaving the beloved New Yorker injured and unattended.
How did they catch Pazienza?
A tip on March 19 pointed to Pazienza as the attacker, leading the NYPD to her parents’ doorstep two days later. Her father told the police she wasn’t home and refused them entry. However, she surrendered shortly after.
How old is Lauren Pazienza?
At Friday’s sentencing, Lauren Pazienza was convicted of manslaughter by Manhattan state Supreme Court Judge Felicia Mennin. Mennin expressed doubt that the 28-year-old Long Island woman really owned up to her actions on March 10, 2022, when she shoved vocal teacher Barbara Maier Gustern to the ground.