Caitlin.ann
November 10th, 2009, 02:57 PM
(CNN) -- Lisa Marie Nowak, a former astronaut accused of assaulting a romantic rival in the parking lot of a Florida airport, will avoid prison after pleading guilty to lesser charges, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Citing her lack of a criminal record and her service as an astronaut and in the Navy, Orange County Circuit Judge Marc Lubet sentenced Nowak to two days in the county jail.
Nowak pleaded guilty to burglary of conveyance, a third-degree felony, and a charge of misdemeanor battery in connection with the February 2007 incident involving Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman.
Shipman spoke in court, delivering an emotional statement in which she recounted being terrorized by Nowak in the parking lot of Orlando International Airport and its continuing effects on her.
Nowak was accused of stalking Shipman and using pepper spray on her in the airport parking lot. She had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted kidnapping with intent to inflict bodily harm, battery and burglary of a vehicle using a weapon.
Link (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/10/florida.astronaut.trial/index.html)
Citing her lack of a criminal record and her service as an astronaut and in the Navy, Orange County Circuit Judge Marc Lubet sentenced Nowak to two days in the county jail.
Nowak pleaded guilty to burglary of conveyance, a third-degree felony, and a charge of misdemeanor battery in connection with the February 2007 incident involving Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman.
Shipman spoke in court, delivering an emotional statement in which she recounted being terrorized by Nowak in the parking lot of Orlando International Airport and its continuing effects on her.
Nowak was accused of stalking Shipman and using pepper spray on her in the airport parking lot. She had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted kidnapping with intent to inflict bodily harm, battery and burglary of a vehicle using a weapon.
Link (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/10/florida.astronaut.trial/index.html)