The cesspool scion charged with fatally shoving an 87-year-old voice coach in Manhattan was bombed off two bottles of wine, weed and prescription drugs the night of the unprovoked attack — and couldn’t possibly have known what she was doing, her lawyer argued Thursday.
Defense attorney Arthur Aidala argued that Lauren Pazienza couldn’t possess the intent to commit the alleged deadly push in Chelsea on March 10, 2022.
“She had had drugs, she had maybe two bottles of wine, and a ton of marijuana [at the time],” Aidala said outside a Manhattan Criminal courtroom Thursday.
Pazienza, whose father runs a lucrative cesspool empire on Long Island, is facing manslaughter and assault charges for allegedly shoving Broadway singing coach Barbara Maier Gustern on the street.
Gustern fell and hit her head and died from her injuries five days later.
Aidala hinted that he and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office are hammering out a plea deal — but revealed his defense should prosecutors not have a “reasonable” offer and the case goes to trial.
“We have very viable defenses about whether someone in her state was able to possess the intent, the intent to commit crimes,” he said.
“It’s black letter law that if you are so inebriated, you’re so intoxicated, that you can’t possess the required intent – that is a defense. But we’re not looking to do that, we’re looking to resolve this case in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable.”
Her fiancé previously told prosecutors that Pazienza had downed “several glasses of wine” during a night out at a park to celebrate their upcoming wedding. She allegedly flew into a rage when she was told the park was closing, rushing the 4-foot-11, 100-pound Gustern, calling her a “bitch” and shoving her to the ground.
Pazienza, 27, whose appearance in court was waived for the brief hearing Thursday, is “seriously considering” taking a disposition that will put her in jail for “quite a long time,” her attorney said.
“I’m not asking for five years, to be clear. I’m not asking for probation,” said Aidala. “We’re aware that something took place here that was a tragedy, that was horrible. Lauren agrees that she needs to be punished. She is being punished — she’s in Rikers Island.”
Aidala said Pazienza is visited weekly by her fiance at Rikers Island – where she’s been cooling her heels since Justice Felicia Mennin revoked her bail in May 2022.
Pazienza has twice turned down plea deals from prosecutors. She faces up to 25 years behind bars, if convicted.
A neighbor previously told The Post that Pazienza has a “simmering rage” and is known in her Astoria apartment building for “screaming” at people.
Pazienza wants to speak to Gustern’s family and give them a card and letter she wrote, according to her lawyer.
Her parents and other family members — in addition to friends of Gustern’s — were present in court on Thursday.
Gustern was a beloved vocal coach whose clients included Blondie’s Debbie Harry.
