Disgraced Astronaut's Romantic Rival Thought Affair Was Over

March 29, 2007 — -- Lisa Nowak, who was forced out of the astronaut corps because of criminal charges she faces in connection with her attack on a romantic rival, has reported for duty to the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas. She will develop a curriculum for flight lessons.

Nowak, a Navy captain who has logged more than 1,500 hours in different aircraft, faces an uncertain future. She had pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted kidnapping and burglary with assault and battery.

How strong is the case against Nowak? Criminal defense attorney Chris Tritico, who represented Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh during his appeal, says the prosecution has a good case. "It's rare for someone to actually be caught in the act, as she was," Tritico said. "It's much easier to prosecute someone who was caught on the scene, with so much evidence in hand. There are surveillance cameras showing her stalking her victim and her own statement to police."

Chances of a Plea Bargain

According to Tritico, in almost every criminal case, a plea bargain is offered at some point. The issue is this: Are the terms attractive enough to the defense lawyers to induce them to take it? "If the plea bargain offer means Nowak would go to jail for 10 years, the defense would be more inclined to bet that a jury would not sentence a first-time offender to prison time."

Several sources at NASA have told ABC News on background that they would like to see a plea bargain. The prospect of a trial, with a camera in the courtroom and astronauts called to testify under oath about adultery doesn't make many people at the space agency happy.

NASA is already struggling to deal with a reduced budget and a space shuttle with a damaged external tank that reduces launch options this year, while at the same time trying to move forward to plan complex missions to the moon and Mars.

The Insanity Defense

While some of Nowak's friends have publicly wondered about her mental state, Tritico says Nowak would not qualify to plead not guilty by reason of insanity under the Florida definition of insanity. But he says he would definitely raise some kind of mental duress issue.

"Clearly, this is a bright, compassionate woman, who excelled as a test pilot, and an astronaut. You have to wonder what happened to trigger such abnormal behavior."

The Evidence

Evidence released by the Orange Osceola state attorney's office in Florida included e-mails Nowak brought to Florida for her confrontation with Colleen Shipman, the Air Force captain who was her rival for the love of astronaut Bill Oefelein. Nowak discovered the e-mails after she used a key she kept to let herself into Oefeleins' Houston apartment, and logged on to his computer.

What emerged from the evidence was a paper trail that details a love affair between Nowak and Oefelein that he thought was over, but she clearly did not believe was finished. Oefelein told police he'd had an affair with Nowak, a 43-year-old mother of three, for "some time."

Then, Oefelein met Shipman at the Kennedy Space Center last fall while training for a space shuttle mission, STS 116. He continued to date Nowak, even while he became more involved with Shipman, according to his statement to Orlando Police Department investigators.

Shipman thought she was the only one dating Oefelein. "He told me he had a relationship with a lady that he works with and that the relationship was over and he had told that lady that the relationship was over. I asked him if he made it clear to her that it was over and he said yes."

When asked by police if Oefelein ever mentioned having problems with Nowak, Shipman replied, "I asked him, are you sure that she's OK with this? Because you know how these things go,' and I said, 'is there gonna be some crazy lady showing up at my door trying to kill me?' and he said, 'no, no, no, she's not like that, she's fine with it, she's happy for me.'"

Nowak was arrested in February after a bizarre 900-mile drive from Houston to Orlando to reportedly stalk the woman she believed stole Oefelein from her. Nowak disguised herself in a trench coat and a wig to keep Shipman from recognizing her.

According to Orlando Police Department reports, security cameras at the Orlando International Airport tracked Nowak as she followed Shipman through the airport before she attacked her in the parking lot. Nowak carried the evidence of betrayal with her: pages of e-mail exchanges between Oefelein and Shipman -- exchanges that showed just how quickly the relationship had heated up.

Oefelein wrote, "You must really have me around your finger that I can't even function without you here, and with you here, I am slightly smarter than a slug."

And Shipman wrote, "The thought of you without clothes is pretty nice."

It's easy to see why Nowak thought she had been jilted.

Was Oefelein really finished with Nowak? Shipman, in her statement to Orlando police, said, "We went to a club in Houston, then we came home and we had a few drinks, we were lying in bed, and he called me Lisa."

It is still difficult for many of Nowak's friends to understand how such a shy, smart and talented woman would be so willing to risk her career as a Navy test pilot and astronaut, plus her family, for an affair with a fellow astronaut.

Dr. Jonathan Clark, a former NASA flight surgeon, is one of Nowak's biggest supporters. His wife, Laurel ,was one of the seven astronauts who died when the shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas in 2003. He told ABC News last month that he would stand with Nowak as long as she needed him.

"She put off the needs of her own family to help us through this," he said. "I feel that if people really knew the amount of sacrifice that she made to take care of us, it would give a different light in the circumstances that exist now."

What do the documents say about Nowak? She planned the trip meticulously. She printed out directions from Mapquest that indicated "977 miles from NASA Road One to Orlando International Airport."

Detectives found 30 unused diapers in her car, a receipt for a night in a motel room that she paid cash for, using the name Linda Turner. They also found rope and a knife, plus a list of supplies she'd packed for her confrontation with Shipman. Also included was a receipt for $3.72 for a tall mocha from Starbucks while she waited in the airport for Shipman.

Nowak also wrote a plaintive note to Oefelein's mother. "Since my parents are not as supportive right now, it really means a lot to me to have another Mom to turn to. Thank you so much for being there for me. Love, Lisa."

Another letter in her notebook shows how deep her feelings were for Oefelein. "Bill is absolutely the best person I've ever known, and I love him more than I ever knew possible. Fortunately, that past situation is coming to an end … and I am in the process of completing all of the official divorce paperwork."

Nowak's trial, if it proceeds, is scheduled to begin July 30.