2ND UPDATE, May 10: Lauren Pazienza, the woman accused of fatally shoving Broadway vocal coach Barbara Gustern on a New York sidewalk in March, pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday and is being held without bail.As part of the plea hearing in New York State Supreme Court on one count of first-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault, the judge remanded Pazienza into custody after revoking her $500,000 bail, ruling she was a flight risk.According to the prosecutors, on March 10 the 87-year-old Gustern had just left her apartment building in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan at around 8:30 p.m.
when the women they identify as Pazienza crossed the street, yelled “Bitch” and pushed Gustern to the ground. Gustern’s head hit the pavement, and she began bleeding profusely, at which point Pazienza, prosecutors say, she continued “briskly” walking away.A passing bicyclist helped Gustern back to her apartment building, where she remained conscious just long enough to describe her attacker.
Gustern was transported by EMS to Bellevue Hospital, where she died five days later while still in a coma.According to an Associated Press report, Assistant District Attorney Justin McNabney said today during the hearing that Pazienza became upset that night after she and her fiancé were told to leave Chelsea Park, where they had been drinking wine as part of celebrating the 100-day mark before their wedding.
Pazienza came upon Gurstern as she was walking away and pushed her to the ground, McNabney said.UPDATED, March 25: As expected, Lauren Pazienza, the woman accused of fatally shoving Broadway vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern to the pavement in Manhattan, will be released from custody at Rikers Island today, her
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