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Controversy Has Trailed Colorado's Chief US Judge

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Oct 16, 2008 7:57 pm US/Mountain

Controversy Has Trailed Colorado's Chief US Judge

Reports Indicate Judge Edward Nottingham Will Be Stepping Down

DENVER (CBS4) ― There were multiple reports Thursday night that Edward W. Nottingham, the chief federal district judge in Colorado, would be resigning after facing a series of complaints about sexual misconduct and other accusations of inappropriate behavior.

Nottingham, 60, has been a federal judge for almost 20 years and was named chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Colorado in 2007. He oversaw the insider trading trial of former Qwest Communications CEO Joe Nacchio.

Federal court personnel told CBS4 they have no official notice that Nottingham is stepping down and that, as far as they are concerned, he is still the chief federal judge. But CBS4 partner the Rocky Mountain News and other press reports say Nottingham is expected to resign. The Rocky cited three sources "with knowledge of his decision" it did not identify.

Nottingham has been trailed by controversy since last year:

-- He admitted spending thousands of dollars at the Denver strip club Diamond Cabaret and an ex wife accused him of using his federal computer to access adult content.
-- A disabled woman accused the top judge of illegally parking in a handicapped spot then berating her when she complained.
-- When law enforcement authorities dismantled a call girl ring operating out of a home in the City Park neighborhood, one media report named Nottingham as a client.

One of Nottingham's ex-wives, Marcie Jaeger, called the allegations of sexual and other forms of misconduct "not surprising."

"He's been doing this for a long time. He wasn't ever forced to bring himself into account. He has a special sort of arrogance ... that has gone along with his unsavory behavior," Jaeger told CBS4.

CBS4 has learned that three federal judges looking into Nottingham's conduct met with him late last month and another meeting was scheduled, but a resignation would seem to make that a moot point.

Nottingham had been presiding over a drug trial this week but called in sick both Wednesday and Thursday. The trial of Charles Castaneda began Tuesday and is scheduled to run six days.

CBS4's calls to Nottingham and his attorney were not returned.

Nottingham, an Eagle County native, presided over the high-profile trial of Nacchio, who was convicted of insider trading last year. Nacchio appealed and a three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit ordered a new trial, saying Nottingham improperly prevented a defense expert from testifying. The full bench is reviewing that decision.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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