Hearing In Arrested Astronaut Case Delayed
Lisa Nowak Accused Of Trying To Kidnap Romantic Rival
POSTED: Monday, April 9, 2007
UPDATED: 11:43 am EDT April 9,
2007
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A hearing in the Lisa Nowak case scheduled for Monday has been canceled in Orlando, prosecutors said.
Another hearing set for Tuesday in Orange County Circuit Court may be canceled, too, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.
The fired astronaut, accused of driving 13 hours to confront a romantic rival, was charged with attempted kidnapping, battery and destruction of evidence. Trial is expected to start in September.
She was charged Feb. 6 after allegedly driving nonstop from Houston to confront Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman in a parking lot at Orlando International Airport. Arrest records said Nowak wore adult diapers so she wouldn’t have to stop during the drive.
According to arrest records and court documents, Nowak pepper-sprayed her apparent rival for fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein’s attentions in an attempt to get Shipman to talk to her.
Nowak was wearing a disguise and had brought with her a BB pistol, knife, medical rubber tubing and garbage bags, the records indicated.
Oefelein, a Navy commander, said he broke off his relationship with Nowak in January to see Shipman, who is assigned to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Nowak was fired from NASA but still is with the Navy. She’s been reassigned to the staff at the Chief of Naval Air Training in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Both Nowak and Oefelein could face court-martials for cheating on their spouses, conduct that the military considers unbecoming to an officer, officials said. Oefelein is divorced and Nowak is separated.
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