Judge Nottingham accused of parking in handicapped spot

Associated Press

Monday, October 22, 2007

An attorney has complained to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals about the chief judge of federal courts in Colorado parking in a space reserved for the disabled, 9News reported Sunday.

The TV station reported that the court was investigating.

In September, U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham came under scrutiny after reports that he visited a strip club. Nottingham was the judge in the insider trading trial of former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio.

The station reported that the latest complaint came in a letter to the appeals court's judicial council from attorney Jeanne Elliott, who was paralyzed in 1986.

Elliott said she had to park on the street at a store Sept. 15 because all the disabled spots were taken. When she saw one of the spots was taken by a vehicle without authentication to use it, she pulled her wheelchair behind the vehicle to wait for the driver.

Elliott said the driver ignored her when he went to his SUV, then put his vehicle in reverse and told her to get out of the way.

He identified himself and called 911 when she refused, she said.

Police got Elliott to move and issued Nottingham a $100 ticket, 9News reported.

In a statement issued by his attorneys, Nottingham told the television station he "regrets parking in a handicapped space in his haste to pick up a prescription at a local Walgreens, but respectfully disagrees with the remainder of Ms. Elliott's version of this incident." The statement said the fine was paid.

The appeals court could sanction Nottingham or encourage him to give up his lifetime appointment as a federal judge. The court has not made a decision in either case.