Suspect charged with manslaughter in shoving death of Broadway vocal coach posts bail, lawyer says

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Lauren Pazienza, the suspect charged with manslaughter in the shoving death of 87-year-old Broadway vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern, has posted bail, according to her lawyer.

“Bail has been posted at Rikers Island this morning. She will be released sometime today,” defence lawyer Arthur Aidala told the press outside Manhattan criminal court on Friday.

“We look forward to getting the evidence and the discovery material from the attorney’s office so my client will now be able to come to our office and discuss the case with her partners and I to determine what the next steps are,” he added, according to the New York Post.

Ms Pazienza, who faces charges of manslaughter and assault, surrendered to the authorities on Tuesday.

Following her initial court appearance on Wednesday, she was sent to Rikers Island. A judge set her bail at $500,000 and bond at $1m.

“Nobody doubts that this is a tragedy. We’re just going to get to the bottom of what really happened that day after we have all the evidence that’s in possession of the prosecutors because we don’t have any evidence,” Mr Aidala said.

Ms Pazienza is set to return to court on 25 April for her arraignment.

She has been charged with one count of first-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault following the 10 March attack on the celebrated singing coach.

The attack occurred in the Chelsea neighbourhood in Manhattan on 10 March at around 8.30pm. Ms Gustern was shoved to the ground and started bleeding heavily.

She was helped up by a bystander and rushed to hospital but died five days later. Before she became unconscious, Ms Gustern told police that a woman had crossed the street, walked towards her, called her a “b****” and shoved her “as hard as she had ever been hit in her life,” according to law enforcement.

Ms Pazienza reportedly stayed in the area for around 20 minutes and looked on as an ambulance arrived for Ms Gustern. She then allegedly quit her job, deleted her social media accounts, removed a website promoting her June wedding, and left the city, first going to Astoria in Queens, where she had a residence.

When Ms Gustern passed away a few days later, Ms Pazienza reportedly left Queens for Long Island and her parents’ home.