Ex-astronaut's defense aims to change image

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Not so long ago, nobody would speak for Lisa Nowak.

Accusations that the former astronaut had made a diaper-assisted, 1,000-mile drive to confront a woman vying for the affections of the same space shuttle pilot turned into water-cooler and late-night TV punchlines. She had devolved from a decorated Navy captain into a sad, frantic mess at the end of a jailhouse camera lens.

Her defense attorneys, led by Donald Lykkebak, and a New York public relations consultant are pushing hard to change that image -- with methodical steps to portray the 44-year-old as a well-meaning mother of three who just had a bad, temporarily insane day.

Lykkebak asked a judge at a pretrial hearing Wednesday to toss much of the evidence against her -- a lengthy arrest interview and items seized during a search of Nowak's BMW, including maps to alleged victim Colleen Shipman's home, large garbage bags, latex gloves and some soiled toddler-sized diapers.

Lykkebak also accused the media of spreading misinformation, that Nowak had worn astronaut diapers during her trip from Texas so she wouldn't have to stop. He says the diapers were her children's, from a 2005 hurricane evacuation.

Police say that in February, Nowak arrived at Orlando International Airport expecting Shipman, then stalked her to a parking lot before using pepper spray. Shipman was able to drive away, and Nowak was arrested. Police said Nowak had a duffel bag with her that contained a steel mallet, 4-inch knife and a BB gun.

Nowak told police in the interview Lykkebak wants suppressed she just wanted to talk to Shipman to find out "where she stands" in the love triangle with former astronaut Bill Oefelein.

Officer William "Chris" Becton, who interviewed Nowak after her arrest, said in the charging affidavit that he asked her why the diapers were in the car, and that she said she used them because "she didn't want to stop and use the restroom."

On Wednesday, the deliberate and bullish defense attorney faced off against Becton in court, drilling the officer over details of a 73-page transcript of Nowak's interview. Lykkebak claimed Nowak was never advised of her Miranda rights and accused Becton of browbeating her into submitting to the car search.

At times pacing the podium and waving his finger, Lykkebak criticized Becton for poor audio quality on the interview tapes and suggested his work overall was "sloppy."

Becton acknowledged minor mistakes, but characterized Nowak as a cunning subject who wheedled for information -- not a ragged, sleep-deprived prisoner.

"I would ask her a question. She would either completely and totally avoid the question I was asking or she would ask another question," Becton said. "It led me to believe that I was dealing with someone who was extremely intelligent, very controlled, and basically smarter than I was."

Becton said Nowak repeatedly consented to the search of her car and even wrote down its location.

Nowak sat attentively during his testimony, conferring at times with another defense attorney while Lykkebak plugged away. She has pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary with assault.

Nowak testified later Wednesday that she never consented to the car search, and felt strong-armed into talking with officers because they mentioned carjacking charges.

"I was doing what I thought was going to happen anyway," Nowak said. "It didn't matter what I did -- I had to give him the keys and tell him where the car was because he was going to go there anyway."

Lykkebak is expected to use a temporary insanity defense at trial, saying Nowak was suffering from major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, insomnia and "brief psychotic disorder with marked stressors" when she allegedly attacked Shipman.

Nowak testified she was awake more than 24 hours before the arrest, eating little more than an apple, and had lost about 20 pounds since her July 2006 shuttle flight.

Outside court, Nowak has made no public comment on the case other than a short statement after a hearing last month. She apologized to Shipman and Oefelein, and then pleaded for privacy and told reporters she probably wouldn't speak again.

Instead she has Lykkebak and Marti Mackenzie, a New York-based public relations specialist who often handles court cases, talking for her.

Mackenzie vetted Nowak's public comments last month and distributes statements on her behalf. She deals with day-to-day calls from reporters and aims to tip coverage in the former astronaut's favor.

Prosecutors mentioned Mackenzie when Nowak asked last month to have a GPS ankle monitoring bracelet removed -- in part because its $105-a-week cost was a hardship. Assistant State Attorney Pamela Davis, in reply, asked how much Nowak was paying for Mackenzie's services, but the defense objected and she did not answer.

Prosecutors are also fighting the image battle. Deputy State Attorney Pamela Davis said Nowak was not distraught or confused, and her sparring with Becton was proof.

"Who she is is a well-educated, well-trained Navy officer, and I think it's important to the court to understand who she really is," Davis said.

Nowak was dismissed from the astronaut corps a month after her arrest and was assigned to the staff at the Chief of Naval Air Training in Corpus Christi, Texas. Her duties include training, standardization and curriculum development.