Posted on 11/10/2009 3:08:20 PM PST by originalbuckeye
The former astronaut arrested in an attack against her romantic rival has pleaded guilty to lesser counts this afternoon. Before a packed courtroom 1:30 p.m., Lisa Marie Nowak, 46, pleaded guilty to counts of third-degree burglary of a conveyance and misdemeanor battery. She was originally charged with more-serious counts of attempted kidnapping and burglary with assault in addition to misdemeanor battery. Prosecutors dropped a count of burglary with assault.
Orange County Circuit Court Judge Marc L. Lubet sentenced Nowak to two days in Orange County Jail with credit for time served and one year of probation. She must stay away from victim Colleen Shipman and has to write a "sincere" letter of apology to her within 10 days.
The deal ends a bizarre drama that preoccupied national news outlets and supermarket tabloids alike for nearly three years.
Nowak, a mission specialist on Discovery's flight in July 2006, was charged in a confrontation with romantic rival Shipman at Orlando International Airport on Feb. 5, 2007.
Shipman was dating Bill Oefelein, an astronaut at the time and Nowak's former lover. Orlando police say Nowak drove from Houston to Orlando and attacked Shipman in the airport parking lot. She's accused of blasting Shipman with pepper spray -- but her defense has challenged whether Shipman had any contact with the spray.
During Tuesday's hearing, a tearful Shipman said she was certain Nowak meant to kill her.
Shipman said she lost her job in the U.S. Air Force because of the attack, and that it caused her medical problems such as high blood pressure. Her family has lost money taking time off work to support her through the trial, she said.
Now, Shipman has nightmares, she said, and is always looking over her shoulder.
Nowak's attorney Donald A. Lykkebak introduced into evidence several letters of support from members of the military. He described her record as "exemplary," and reminded Lubet she had no criminal history. He argued that she should not be adjudicated guilty.
Then Nowak apologized to Shipman.
"I am sincerely sorry for causing fear and misunderstanding and all the intense public exposure you have encountered," Nowak said.
Lubet barred Nowak from contacting Oefelein.
"No books, no messages, no poems, no nothing," Lubet said.
Nowak remains in the U.S. Navy, but is no long in the astronaut corps.
Shipman is now living with Oefelein in Alaska.
“Nowak remains in the U.S. Navy”
and that should give us all pause
That’s a long drive and a lot of Depends. So they are probably safe.
It would make a cool episode of Ice Road Truckers, However.
She does now.
I suspect she has a job with no people contact!
Nowak, Hasan and who else remain in the military?
What are the lesser charges, driving with diapers on?
General Casey kinda' troubles me.
Nowak was originally charged with attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanour battery and burglary of an automobile.
In her mug shot she doesn’t look much like a USNA Grad, does she?
FYI, anyone living in the Cape Area back in the glory days of Projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo knew FAR MORE than they wanted to know about the Astronaut Corps!
The difference back then was, law enforcement and the media helped cover up the "dirty linen"!
C'mon who hasn't gone home with the one on the left and woken up with the one on the right...at least once in your life.
But at least then I could blame the beer goggles.
If you end up looking like the one on the right after X number of years in the Astro-nut Corps, who's gonna sign up for that?
She is an 0-6 and I assume she will retire as such.
There is no doubt that a male would at a minimum be demoted in similar circumstances.
I think they were waiting for the court case to end before they kicked her out, But it seems the navy can send 400 women to sea, 80% will get sent home with an extra passenger before the assignment is over.
Alcohol fueled beatings, after which they would go into space.
Yes, there were women in the Mercury training program but most were probably like this woman:
and they couldn't find a helmet to contain her noggin.
I seem to recall a soap opera about the Cape and the escapades, back in the fifties...never watched it as I hate those things, but I do believe it was on for awhile.
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