Astronaut Out On Bail

NASA Astronaut Faces Attempted Murder Charges In Plot Against Romantic Rival

(CBS/AP)  A NASA astronaut accused of trying to kidnap a romantic rival for a space shuttle pilot's affections was charged with attempted first-degree murder Tuesday and jailed.

At first the astronaut was charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts. Then prosecutors upped the charge to attempted murder, basing it on the weapons and other items they said police had found with Nowak or in her car: pepper spray, a BB-gun, a new steel mallet, knife and rubber tubing.

Nowak, a 43-year-old Navy Captain and married mother of three, was released from jail on $25,500 bail and ordered to wear a monitoring device.

Her lawyer, Donald Lykkebak, took issue with the most serious charges.

"In the imaginations of the police officers, they extend these facts out into areas where the facts can't be supported," Lykkebak said.

"The intent was there to do serious bodily injury or death," said Orlando Police Sgt. Barb Jones, referring to the items found in Nowak's car.

NASA put Nowak on a 30-day leave and removed her from mission duties. Agency spokesman John Ira Petty at Johnson Space Center in Houston said he was concerned about the people involved and their families. But, he added, "We try not to concern ourselves with our employees' personal lives."

If convicted of attempted murder, she faces between 30 years and life in prison, authorities said.

"It looks like it was a fairly elaborate plan, and we believe that she was probably going to try to kidnap the victim and, you know, possibly do serious bodily harm," Sgt. Jones told Jessica D'Onofrio of CBS affiliate WKMG-TV.

Chief astronaut Steve Lindsey, who flew with Nowak to the international space station last July aboard space shuttle Discovery, and fellow astronaut Chris Ferguson attended the earlier hearing.

"Our primary concern is her health and well-being and that she get through this," Lindsey told reporters later. "Her status (with the astronaut corps) has not changed."

Ferguson said he was "perplexed" by Nowak's alleged actions.

Police said Nowak drove 900 miles, donned a disguise and was armed with a BB gun and pepper spray when she confronted a woman she believed was a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an unmarried fellow astronaut.

Oefelein, 41, piloted the space shuttle Discovery in December. He and Nowak trained together but never flew a mission together.

Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship," according to an arrest affidavit.

Inside Nowak's vehicle, which was parked at a nearby motel, authorities found a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, latex gloves and e-mails between Oefelein and Colleen Shipman.

They also found a letter "that indicated how much Mrs. Nowak loved Mr. Oefelein" and Shipman's home address, the arrest affidavit said.

Police said Nowak told them that she only wanted to scare Shipman into talking to her about her relationship and didn't want to harm her.

"If you were just going to talk to someone, I don't know that you would need a wig, a trench coat, an air cartridge BB gun and pepper spray," Jones said. "It's just really a very sad case."

[tuckerndfw]

Which demonstrates that women are not qualified to hold leadership positions.

If she was a real leader, she wouldn't be charged with kidnapping, she wouldn't have been caught. And, if fate frowned on her and she was caught, she would be charged with murder.

Silly women don't know how to do anything right.

[legendary240]

All I know is this...look at her astronaut mission photo and then look at that hideous mug shot photo on yahoo, there is no way I will ever drink Tang again!

[legendary240]

You may have a point with the leadership comment there. Just one bit of competition and she was ready to slit someone's throat!

[lucasnico]

any woman who drives 900 miles non-stop while wearing diapers.....is either crazy in love, or Bea Arthur

[tuckerndfw]

legendary240,

It isn't the Tang, it's the methamphetamines ("speed") the government gives pilots.

I went over and looked at the picture on Yahoo and she looks pretty much the same as any other ghetto crack addict.

Which is obviously what she is except she can afford the "good stuff" since she gets it free from the government.

Anyone who drives 900 miles without stopping is on some kind of "speed."

[svenstrom]

Could be a case of clinical depression. Wonder if this has happened to any other astronauts after returning from space.

[bildooreilly]

YIKES... I went to yahoo and checked her out.. man o man... I guess space travel isn't so easy on you ay... I wonder why the guy would have been interested in a different woman lol..






All I know is this...look at her astronaut mission photo and then look at that hideous mug shot photo on yahoo, there is no way I will ever drink Tang again!
Posted by legendary240 at 11:47 PM : Feb 05, 2007
+ report this comment

[eyedrive1]

Obviously, this woman is deranged. She doesn't need a life sentence, but a long stay in a mental facility. A sane person would not pull a wacko stunt like that.

She did risk her life for her country, first see if she can get straightened out. If not, and she simply is a murderer wannabe then send her to prison.

Can't hurt to try to help her, can it? Maybe medications can help.

[annd2302]

Only if they are like "swallows" in the meadow, ugliness is not a consideration but only a factor.

[bildooreilly]

I agree with that, but other people that do crazy *** like this who are insane also are thrown in prison all the time, I don't think she should be treated special just because she was an astronaut... if you disagree with them throwing nuts in jail then you should disagree about them doing it with all those other nuts they throw in jail... It's like some americans even think all these federal employees, politicians and all of them that suck up our tax money actually deserve special treatment when they screw up. It's a really bad deal and leads to lots of people who think they don't have to be accountable for their actions.

------------------------


Obviously, this woman is deranged. She doesn't need a life sentence, but a long stay in a mental facility. A sane person would not pull a wacko stunt like that.

She did risk her life for her country, first see if she can get straightened out. If not, and she simply is a murderer wannabe then send her to prison.

Can't hurt to try to help her, can it? Maybe medications can help.
Posted by eyedrive1 at 01:02 AM : Feb 06, 2007
+ report this comment

[goldsummer]

I thought these people had serious mental & physical testing b4 they were allowed to be come an astronaut? OHHHHHHHHH WAIT !!!! I forgot Bush wants another 10 B for his war efforts.. better scrub the space program so the govt can afford for Bush to stay in office.

[alphaa10-2009]

Posted by tuckerndfw said, "Silly women don't know how to do anything right."
---

Love-- real or imagined-- produces sometimes strange behavior, if this news story is typical of the powerful influence love exerts.

There are overtones of something else, too. Obsession is often confused with love, and is more powerful in some personalities than love, itself. We can guess in this case there may be a fear of injury to the self-esteem. Looks and IQ has nothing whatever to do with it-- Marilyn Monroe had very low self-esteem despite ample intelligence and beauty.

FYI-- Obsessive behavior is found with both sexes
in abundance.

[amazedd]

Where did she get her Navy Captain merit bagde, in a box o' cereal?

[tuckerndfw]

Alpha,

Driving 900 miles without stopping, followed by extremely bizarre behavior is not "love."

It does indicate an obsession, but it appears she is a drug addict suffering from far worse mental problems than an obsession.

Military pilots are given speed by the US government and she exhibited the traits exhibited by many speed freaks.

She appears to be a drug addict little different from any other ghetto crack head. Exception being she gets her drugs from the US government for free.

But, her behavior is not "love," it is insanity.

[bellal-2009]

Whoa! This is very very weird.

[whatithink-2009]

Obviously, this woman is deranged. She doesn't need a life sentence, but a long stay in a mental facility. A sane person would not pull a wacko stunt like that.

She did risk her life for her country, first see if she can get straightened out. If not, and she simply is a murderer wannabe then send her to prison.

Can't hurt to try to help her, can it? Maybe medications can help.
Posted by eyedrive1 at 01:02 AM : Feb 06, 2007
=================================================

I just wonder why we jump to give sympathy to some and not to others. I personally think that most people who kill are mentally insane. Why should she get special treatment?

[darkfyreaol]

Eh.

Life is all about choices.

Seems Lisa made the wrong choice.. I doubt this is just a heat-of-the-moment incident. This is premeditated, it is something that must have consumed her very being to go and risk everything she's gained. Spraying a chemical at someone else for revenge? All rationality and mental discipline seems to have flown out the window for the Navy Captain. This is at the very least a psychotic episode.

[cofield425]

The LOVE shuttle is making another run,

The LOVE shuttle, with something for everyone!

[cofield425]

In addition to the civilian kidnapping charge, she has to deal with Uniform Code Of Military Justice. Adultery is a violation of the UCMJ.

It will be interesting to see how William Oefelein comes out of this.

[NightSongz]

Wow...this is insane...I LOVE IT!

[ljburnell]

Recieved a bump on the nogging upon re-entry!She will use this or similar defense to get out of being held accountable.There is a thin line between love and hate,looks like she crossed the center line on both sides.

[exusmcsgt]

Is this broad looney tunes or what? She's married with children, messing around with another man, and yet has the audacity to go after another (single) woman he's seeing?

She meant no harm to Shipman she says yet pepper sprays her and was packing a buck knife, hammer, and BB pistol?

And this wearing diapers to not have to stop for bathroom breaks? She probably qualifies for the Guinnes Book of World Records for the most successive adult diaper changes while doing 70 MPH......

I feel for her husband and children.

[dredre2k]

This chick wore a diaper so she didn't have to stop the car on the way to Orlando, and was going to set it off in the parking lot! Lock her up, because I don't want her to slash Captain Janeway in a jealous rage during her next trip to space! Oh the Scandal!

[rray52]

Funny and sad in hundreds of ways.

[reel-crazy]

This story discredits an old joke at NASA...

What do you call a woman who doesn`t cheat on her husband when she is away on business?

An astronaut!

[annette999]

this is a very sad story. She threw career away over this. what about her children did she ever thought of that.

[artorios7208]

hello...i think this is awsome!!!

[artorios7208]

i wonder wat her children feel like..

[artorios7208]

like i always say...woman are crazy!:D

[jetlizhan]

what in the world gets into supposedly 'intelligent' peoples' minds? this woman has literally thrown away her career and family for what? a few hot times with a man? my word! - Lord help us.

[artorios7208]

does anyone like yugioh?

[exusmcsgt]

The most ridiculous part of her thinking was that she thought she could keep her lover to herself with all this demonstrated stupidity.

As if he's going to take a crazy married broad over a sane single one....geez.

[artorios7208]

yo stephen wats up?lets have a msn fight!

[pandoraboxed]

look another idiot from texas, now two villages are missing their idiots........LMAO

[artorios7208]

is he stupid or what?

[artorios7208]

LMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLMAO

[enriquemexic]

Hi guys i da mexico :D lmao

[reel-crazy]

It appears she became obsessed with rockets, missles, G's, blastoff, payload, rear-entries, and thrust. Now she needs to focus on BAILOUT...

[michaure]

send her back up to space and leave her there!

[gmond]

Jail, the final frontier..

[exusmcsgt]

Jail, the final frontier..
Posted by gmond at 08:24 AM : Feb 06, 2007

Excellent!

[pensacola8-2009]

Florida Police culture requires craziness in their police reports to inflate the probability of arrest, especially in domestic violence issues. They routinely fall for any crazy and even false stories told by especially attractive women. Lisa Nowak needs a good lawyer. The level of police funding from the state for every city in Florida depends on the conviction rate on the different categories of charges. It is a numbers game. Police in Florida don't even have to listen to both sides before making an arrest. Any attractive woman in Florida can call the police, make a false police report, show any cut or bruise and claim it was caused by their assailant, and the police will make an arrest without bond. The integrity of a Florida Police officer is only as good as their education, and most Florida police officers don't have much education.

[wendysmall]

i think people should do more looking into the actual crime before they make decision on anything an i do believe some people file false reports to get back at other people an it is not right

[olebd]

What kind of huge golden rod is this guy carrying around?

[xsoldier2]

How To Be a Good Liberal...

*You have to be against capital punishment,
but support abortion on demand.

*You have to believe that businesses create oppression
and governments create prosperity.

*You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese and North Korean Communists.

[bluestardad]

I often wondered if a person could fornicate in space? Now I guess I know.

[xsoldier2]

How to be a good Liberal (continued)

*You have to believe that there was no art before federal funding.

*You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate
and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's.

*You have to believe that defined gender roles are artificial
but being homosexual is natural.

[ov442]

Florida citizenship requires craziness and lunacy. They have more 'friendly' shootings intoxicated or not per capita than any other state.

[xsoldier2]

How to be a good liberal (continued)

*You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding.

*You have to believe that the same teacher who can't teach 4th graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about ***.

*You have to believe that hunters don't care about nature,
but loony activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.

*You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.

*You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.

*You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.

*You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American history than Thomas Jefferson, Gen. Robert E. Lee, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell.

*You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.

*You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and that she is a very nice person.

*You have to believe that the only reason socialism
hasn't worked any-
where it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.

*You have to believe that conservatives telling the truth belong in jail,
but a liar and a *** offender belonged in the White House.

*

[exusmcsgt]

Xsoldier2-

What's your point here? Are you saying that Nowak is a neocon?