Suspect accused of fatally shoving 87-year-old vocal coach rejects plea deal for a second time
‘We will keep pursuing justice the best we can,’ says Lauren Pazienza’s attorney after turning down 15 year plea deal
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An event planner charged with fatally shoving a beloved Broadway singing coach has rejected a second plea deal that would have seen her serve 15 years in prison.
Lauren Pazienza, 26, appeared in court on Tuesday where she denied a charge of first-degree manslaughter over the killing of Barbara Gustern, 87, on 10 March in Chelsea, New York.
The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg offered Ms Pazienza the recommended sentence of 15 years in exchange for a guilty plea.
But the Long Island native turned the deal down, and faces a maximum of 25 years if convicted. She has also been charged with two counts of assault.
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After the hearing, her attorney Arthur Aidala told the New York Post they were “disappointed” after failing to have the manslaughter charge dismissed.
“We feel that pushing someone one time, not knowing their age or any disability rises to the level to satisfy the elements of manslaughter in the first degree,” Mr Aidala told the Post.
“We will keep pursuing justice the best we can.”
Ms Pazienza allegedly pushed Ms Gustern as she was trying to catch a taxi on West 28th St, causing her to fall and hit her head. She died five days later in hospital.
According to the indictment, the 26-year-old had consumed a few glasses of wine and had been eating dinner at Chelsea Park with her fiancé prior to the encounter.
When she was asked to leave by a parks employee because it was about to close, Ms Pazienza “became angry, started cursing at the park employee, threw her food onto her fiancé”, prosecutors said previously.
She’s accused of calling Ms Gustern, who has worked with top vocalists including Debbie Harry, a “bitch” as she fell.
Ms Pazienza handed herself in about two weeks after the shoving incident after a high-profile hunt for the offender.
She was initially released from Riker’s Island after posting $500,000 bail.
But that was revoked at her arraignment in May after Judge Felicia Menin deemed she was a “serious flight risk”.
Mr Aidala told the Post his client was “hanging in there”.
“I don’t think anyone in Rikers is looking forward to the heatwave, whether it’s the correction officers or inmates,” he said.
Ms Pazienza is due back in court on 14 September.