Florida trial of ex-astronaut postponed

Former astronaut Lisa Nowak leaves after a pre-trial hearing at Orange County Court in Orlando, Florida August 24, 2007. The trial of former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak on charges she attacked a romantic rival has been postponed until next year to allow prosecutors time to prepare for an insanity defense, according to a court order.

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The trial of former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak on charges she attacked a romantic rival has been postponed until next year to allow prosecutors time to prepare for an insanity defense, according to a court order.

No new date has been set for the trial of Nowak on charges of attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary. She had been scheduled for trial on September 24.

In an order issued on Tuesday, Judge Marc Lubet granted prosecutors' request for more time to prepare for the possibility that Nowak will claim she was insane on February 5 when she allegedly disguised herself, stalked and assaulted Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman at Orlando International Airport.

Nowak's lawyers earlier filed a notice to the court stating she is competent to stand trial but that she suffered from numerous psychiatric disorders at the time of the crime.

Nowak's case will be back in the spotlight on September 19 when a court hearing resumes on defense motions to disallow the use of her interrogation and various pieces of evidence on grounds that police violated her constitutional rights on the day of her arrest.

Police have said Nowak drove from Houston to Orlando to meet Shipman, who she considered a rival for the affections of then-astronaut Bill Oefelein. Investigators said she told them she wore diapers on the trip so she would not have to stop along the way.

NASA fired Nowak and Oefelein in the weeks following Nowak's arrest.