Former astronaut apologizes to rival in love triangle BY TRAVIS REED The Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lisa Nowak faced her romantic rival in court Friday during a tense day in the NASA love triangle case that was capped with the ex-astronaut apologizing to the other woman for “frightening her in any way.” It was their first exchange of words and looks since Nowak was arrested and charged with trying to pepper spray and kidnap Colleen Shipman after a frantic 1,000-mile drive to confront her over their shared feelings for another astronaut. “The past six months have been very difficult for me, my family and others close to me,” a halting Nowak said after a five-hour hearing in which her lawyers sought to remove the ankle bracelet that tracks her movements and block some of the evidence collected during her arrest. “I know that it must have also been very hard for Colleen Shipman, and I would like her to know how very sorry I am about having frightened her in any way and about the subsequent public harassment that has besieged all of us.” Shipman had her attorney read a statement during the hearing and hadn’t planned to speak, but Nowak’s lawyers persuaded Circuit Judge Marc L. Lubet to make her testify. Speaking firmly and tersely, Shipman, an Air Force captain, said she is still afraid of Nowak and that the anklet is one of the only things that makes her feel safe. “When I’m home alone and there’s nobody there with me, it is a comfort,” Shipman said. Under questioning from Nowak attorney Donald Lykkebak, Shipman acknowledged that she had visited her boyfriend in Nowak’s hometown of Houston several times since Nowak’s arrest. She didn’t say if that boyfriend was space shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein, who had a romantic relationship with both women. Nowak, a 44-year-old mother of three who has been dismissed by NASA, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary with assault in the February confrontation in an Orlando International Airport parking lot. She is free on $25,500 bail, though the tracking anklet is a condition of her release, and the Navy captain and pilot says it’s bulky, uncomfortable and expensive, the weekly rental rate of $105 reaching $3,000 so far. She also claims it prevents her from exercising as she’s required as a military officer. Nowak promised to abide by all court orders if the device is removed, including not having contact with Shipman. Assistant state attorney Pamela Davis suggested Nowak could do certain exercises and has been able to function despite the inconvenience. She also dismissed the anklet’s expense. “You’re paying a media consultant — fire the consultant,” she told Nowak. The judge did not rule Friday, saying another hearing will be necessary on the anklet and other issues. Testimony also addressed whether Nowak wore diapers to avoid stopping in driving straight from Houston to Orlando. Astronauts use them on shuttle missions, and that detail has made Nowak a punchline on comedy shows and around the world. In June, Lykkebak called it “the biggest lie in this preposterous tale.” RED HUBER/ORLANDO SENTINEL Former astronaut Lisa Nowak, left, looks on along with her attorney Cheney Mason during a hearing at the Orange County courthouse in Orlando, Fla., on Friday.
Na...she just needs to keep her hormones in check!
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How about just staying on the planet, you know get 'grounded'....maybe weightlessness and 'space travel' isn't good for the human psychie....or she has alot of out of body experiences too......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Ex-astronaut Nowak to seek insanity defense BY TRAVIS REED The Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — Former astronaut Lisa Nowak is pursuing a temporary insanity defense on charges that she assaulted and tried to kidnap a romantic rival, according to a court document released Tuesday. Nowak suffered from major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, insomnia and “brief psychotic disorder with marked stressors,” defense attorney Donald Lykkebak wrote in his notice of intent to rely on the insanity defense. He also noted that the already petite Nowak recently lost 15 percent of her body weight and struggled with “marital separation.” “Even the most naive observer should recognize that Lisa Nowak’s behavior on February 5 was uncharacteristic and unpredicted for such an accomplished person with no criminal record or history of violence,” Lykkebak said in a separate public statement. Nowak, 44, was arrested in February after confronting Colleen Shipman, the girlfriend of a former space shuttle pilot Nowak had been seeing. The former astronaut allegedly stalked Shipman at the Orlando airport, then attacked her as Shipman arrived at her car. Police say the married mother of three had driven nearly 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando, using diapers to avoid taking breaks, and then pepper-sprayed Shipman while trying to get into her vehicle. Shipman was able to drive away, and Nowak was arrested. Police said she had a duffel bag with her that contained a steel mallet, 4-inch knife and a BB gun. Nowak was charged with attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary with assault and has pleaded not guilty. She told police said she just wanted to talk to Shipman to fi nd out “where she stands” in the love triangle. She was dismissed from the astronaut corps a month after her arrest and has a trial set for September. At a Florida court hearing on defense motions Friday, Nowak apologized to Shipman. She also asked to have her electronic monitoring bracelet removed, and her attorney asked the judge to toss out her police interview and evidence from a search of her car. Circuit Judge Marc L. Lubet did not immediately issue a ruling, saying he wanted to hear more from both sides. “The past six months have been very difficult for me, my family and others close to me,” Nowak, a Navy captain and pilot, told a crowd of reporters outside the courtroom. “I know that it must have also been very hard for Colleen Shipman, and I would like her to know how very sorry I am about having frightened her in any way and about the subsequent public harassment that has besieged all of us.” The police officer who had interviewed Nowak testified Friday that it was the hardest of his career. Detective Chris Becton described a “chess game” in which he and Nowak bartered for details and he felt like the interview subject. Shipman told the judge she was still scared of Nowak. Nowak is barred from Brevard County, where Shipman lives in Florida, and she must file notice to visit the rest of the state.
Perhaps she could use that as her case. She could say that something happens to your mind when you are in zero gravity for a long time! She could plead 'space insanity'!
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