Woman Sentenced to 8½ Years for Fatal Shoving of Broadway Voice Coach

In a Manhattan courtroom, a 28-year-old former event planner, Lauren Pazienza, who had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, has been handed an 8½-year prison sentence for shoving an 87-year-old Broadway voice coach, Barbara Maier Gustern, onto a Manhattan sidewalk in 2022. The incident resulted in Ms. Gustern's tragic demise.

Additional Time Added

On Friday, Manhattan state Supreme Court Judge Felicia Mennin extended Pazienza's sentence by six months beyond the previously agreed-upon eight years, citing concerns that Pazienza had not fully acknowledged her responsibility for her actions.

Tragic Outcome

Following Pazienza's push, Barbara Maier Gustern suffered a severe head injury on March 10, 2022. The injury led to a significant brain hemorrhage, and sadly, she passed away after five days in the hospital.

Potential for a Harsher Sentence

Had Pazienza not accepted the plea deal and been found guilty by a jury, she could have faced a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Details of the Incident

As part of her plea deal, Pazienza confessed to using offensive language toward Gustern and deliberately shoving her to the ground. However, her exact motive for the act remains unclear. Prosecutors had previously stated that Pazienza approached Gustern on a Chelsea sidewalk, used derogatory language, and pushed her to the ground from behind.

Judicial Decision

Pazienza has been held in Rikers Island jail since March 2022 when her bail was revoked. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg expressed, "Lauren Pazienza aggressively shoved Barbara Gustern to the ground and walked away as the beloved New Yorker lay there bleeding." He further added, "Today’s plea holds Pazienza accountable for her deadly actions."

Gustern's Legacy

Barbara Maier Gustern was a respected vocal coach, with clients including celebrities like Debbie Harry of Blondie and Kimilee Bryant, a performer who fondly referred to her as her "New York mom." Kimilee Bryant shared that Gustern and her late husband had welcomed her into their home during her early days on Broadway.

Remembering a Kind Soul

Kimilee Bryant shared, "We'd really become close because they really adopted lots of sorts of strays, as they would call us, for holidays because we couldn't go home. I couldn’t go home for Thanksgiving. We had a show."

This report includes contributions from Michael Ruiz of Fox News Digital and the Associated Press.