And they were going to let her go into space?

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:57 pm

Don't they test these people for good judgement and coolness under pressure?

ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- A NASA astronaut charged with pepper-spraying and trying to kidnap a romantic rival was granted bail Tuesday, but her release was delayed after police announced they were filing an attempted murder charge against her, a corrections department spokesman said.

Navy Capt. Lisa Marie Nowak had already paid her bail on three other charges when she learned that she would not be released because Orlando police were planning to add attempted murder to the list, said Allen Moore, a spokesman for the Orange County Corrections Department.

Nowak will remain in protective custody until her first appearance on the new charge, Moore said. She was scheduled to appear before a judge Tuesday afternoon.

One legal analyst said police and prosecutors likely added the new charge because they were miffed the judge granted Nowak bail when they requested she be held without bond.

"What had to have happened is that prosecutors and police were really frosted when the judge, despite what they considered to be some pretty serious charges already -- including attempted kidnapping -- basically gave her a get-out-of-jail-free-for-now pass in exchange for a $15,500 bond and a GPS monitor," said CNN legal consultant Kendall Coffey.

In granting her bail on the original charges, the judge warned that Nowak is to have no contact with engineer Colleen Shipman and must wear a GPS, or global positioning satellite device, to ensure she does not travel east of Orange County, where Shipman lives.

Shipman filed papers Wednesday for a restraining order against Nowak.

The charges against Nowak stem from an alleged love triangle in which Nowak and Shipman, 30, were competing for the affections of astronaut Bill Oefelein, police said. (Watch a shackled Nowak bow her head as attorneys discuss her bail with the judge )

The judge emphasized to Nowak that she could not have any contact with Shipman, good or bad. The judge told her she couldn't even send flowers to apologize.

Col. Steve Lindsey, Nowak's superior and commander of her space shuttle mission last July, testified that Nowak had no reason to have any contact with Shipman and said the GPS device would not hamper Nowak's work.

Nowak's attorney, Donald Lykkebak, told the judge that his client has an "exemplary record of commitment" and should be released without bond.

"At times like this, judge, one's good works must count for something," Lykkebak said.

The judge ordered bail set at $15,500 on three counts. A future court date was not set.

Nowak, 43, a married mother of three, has been charged with battery, attempted kidnapping and attempted vehicle burglary with battery. She also was initially charged with destruction of evidence, but the judge said he found no probable cause for that charge.

Nowak's cuffed hands were shackled to her waist as she stood before the judge. She looked down and remained still during most of the hearing but shook her head when prosecutors said she planned to kidnap and harm Shipman.

Nowak, who flew her first shuttle mission as a mission specialist aboard Discovery in July, and Shipman were both reported to be "in a relationship" with Oefelein, a Navy commander, according to a police report of the incident.

Nowak drove almost 1,000 miles from Houston, Texas, to Orlando on Monday to confront Shipman about her alleged relationship with Oefelein, according to a police report.

Shipman, an Air Force captain and engineer assigned to the 45th Launch Support Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, was flying the same route, the report said. (Watch how police say a NASA love triangle went awry )

Nowak wore a diaper during the 14-hour drive so that she wouldn't have to stop for bathroom breaks, the report said. Astronauts wear what NASA calls maximum-absorbency garments to collect their waste during space travel.

Shipman told police she arrived at the Orlando International Airport about 1 a.m. and had to wait two hours for her luggage.

As Shipman walked to her car she noticed a woman in a trench coat who appeared to be following her, the police report said. She quickly jumped into her car and heard "running footsteps" behind her, Shipman told police. (Charging affidavit -- PDF)

Nowak slapped the window of the car as Shipman locked it, the report said. Nowak then tried to open the car door, saying that her ride had not arrived.

Shipman told Nowak she would send for help, but when Nowak said she couldn't hear her and started to cry, Shipman cracked her window, the report said. The 2-inch space in the window was all Nowak needed to send pepper spray into the car, police said.

Her eyes burning, Shipman drove to a tollbooth and reported the incident.

When an officer found Nowak at a bus stop, she was wearing a different coat, and the officer observed her putting items in a trash can, the police report said. The officer retrieved a wig and a BB gun from the trash can, the report said.

Police found in Nowak's bag a tan trench coat, a new steel mallet, a folding knife with a 4-inch blade, 3 to 4 feet of rubber tubing, large plastic garbage bags and about $600 in cash, the report said.

Nowak acknowledged details of Shipman's allegations, according to police, and allowed officers to search her car. There, police found diapers, six latex gloves, directions from Houston to Orlando International Airport, e-mails from Shipman to Oefelein, a letter indicating how much she loved Oefelein and directions to Shipman's home address in Florida, the report said.

Nowak told police she didn't intend to harm Shipman and "that she only wanted to scare Ms. Shipman into talking with her," a police report said. Asked about the BB gun, Nowak told police it "was going to be used to entice Ms. Shipman to talk with her," the report said.

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:02 pm

Hell hath no fury......

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:11 pm

:p :wah:

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:23 pm

Wow, in space no one can hear you pout eh?

I see this other woman was in Florida, so was like your man, knocking over to her after the shuttle landed, havin a bit of "hows your father" and then checking in with the spaceship captain for seconds? How deliciously insane, and they say that space is boring?? :wah:

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:32 pm

"Nobody can hear you POUT!"

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:35 pm

It is looney, what a story!

Dr. G, your comment had me laughing.......................

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:40 pm

The serious part of this WOULD be imagining them all in the same capsule!

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:01 pm

I knew threesomes would be bad for your health.

JacksDad · Post by **JacksDad** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:16 pm

Ya gotsta be really dumb to cheat on an astronaut. All they have to do is re-route some satellites and aim that laser right down at your house.

Blammo! Toast.

Naaawww.

Don't **** off an astronaut.

:-3

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 7:52 pm

:wah: I'm sorry that had to be one heavy diaper by the time she got there and a little difficult to walk in...

This is one crazy women.. :-3

[QUOTE]Nowak wore a diaper during the 14-hour drive so that she wouldn't have to stop for bathroom breaks, the report said. Astronauts wear what NASA calls maximum-absorbency garments to collect their waste during space travel. [/QUOTE]

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:43 pm

Know what? I'm going to do a 180 degree turn and say that after I've heard about all the education this woman has had and all the training this woman has had....

I think she's had some kind of mental breakdown. It just doesn't make sense, otherwise.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:36 pm

I don't think we can make a judgement based on a photo.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:43 pm

I don't think it's right to make judgements based on photos. Let's try to give her a chance...I'm beginning to regret posting this thread.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:51 pm

That's what I'm thinking...she's been through years of military training and NASA, too!

Something's gone wrong here...whether it's chemical or what....something's gone wrong.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:05 pm

All joking aside, I would say that you shouldn't rush to judgment in any story such as this, training and working as an astronaut is one of the most highly demanding roles and human being can undertake, which is not an excuse for this woman's actions, but obviously something has gone very wrong here, because if she was just a mentalist, there is no way on gods earth she would have been able to fulfill her role as an astronaut, as there people are the most highly trained, and most constantly physiologically, and psychologically assessed people in the world. I also hope this incident doesn't become and excuse for more bashing of the US space program, which in reality is a very good thing, a great national achievement, and does a lot of good work for science, the US, and the world, whatever idiotic, hidebound politicians or callow media pundits say. :-5

It is a good story though.