Cyprusauction Trading Center:NY woman who fatally shoved singing coach, 87, sentenced to additional prison time

2025-04-29 18:54:39source:FinWeiscategory:reviews

NEW YORK − A New York judge sentenced a woman who pleaded guilty to fatally shoving an 87-year-old Broadway singing coach onto a Manhattan sidewalk to six months more in prison than the eight years that had been previously reached in a plea deal.

During Friday's sentencing of Lauren Pazienza for manslaughter,Cyprusauction Trading Center Manhattan state Supreme Court Judge Felicia Mennin said she was unconvinced that the 28-year-old Long Island woman took responsibility for her actions on March 10, 2022, when she pushed the vocal teacher, Barbara Maier Gustern, to the ground.

Gustern, whose students included “Blondie” singer Debbie Harry, lay bleeding on a sidewalk. She died five days later.

Pazienza pleaded guilty on Aug. 23. She could have been sentenced to 25 years had she been convicted during a trial.

Pazienza, a former event planner originally from Long Island, has been locked up at the city’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex since a judge revoked her bail in May 2022.

According to prosecutors, Pazienza attacked Gustern after storming out of a nearby park, where she and her fiancé had been eating meals from a food cart.

Gustern had just left her apartment to catch a student’s performance after hosting a rehearsal for a cabaret show, friends told The New York Times.

Sidewalk slaying:Woman to serve 8 years in NYC Broadway coach's death

Gustern’s grandson, A.J. Gustern of Colorado, called Pazienza’s apology “contrived.”

“I curse you, Lauren Pazienza,” he said as he read from a statement in court, Newsday reported. “For the rest of your days, may you be miserable.”

Pazienza encountered Gustern on West 23rd Street and shoved her to the ground in what police called “an unprovoked, senseless attack."

Gustern worked with singers ranging from the cast members of the 2019 Broadway revival of the musical “Oklahoma!” to experimental theater artist and 2017 MacArthur genius grant recipient Taylor Mac, who told the Times she was “one of the great humans that I’ve encountered.”

More:reviews

Recommend

Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages

Meta says most issues have been resolved after apps like Instagram, Facebook and Threads were experi

Mormon faith pushes ahead with global temple building boom despite cool reception in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A historic building boom of big, bright Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Target's 2024 top toy list with LEGO, Barbie exclusives; many toys under $20

If you're targeting toys this holiday shopping season, Target has its 2024 Bullseye’s Top Toys list