Panel says ex-judge Nottingham 'may have lied'
By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published October 30, 2008 at 9:48 a.m.
Updated October 30, 2008 at 10:37 a.m.
Former District Court Judge Edward Nottingham
Former U.S. District Court Judge Edward W. Nottingham may have lied to investigators about using his court-issued computer to access pornography, a special committee of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals determined.
The finding is revealed in an order issued this morning dismissing all complaints against Nottingham, one day after his resignation took effect.
The order also confirmed media reports last week that a woman who said she worked as a prostitute for Nottingham said the judge asked her to lie to investigators about their relationship.
With Nottingham off the bench, the complaints are moot, Chief Circuit Judge Robert H. Henry ruled.
Four misconduct cases — covering six allegations — were pending against Nottingham when he stepped down.
They alleged that Nottingham:
• Spent $3,000 at a Denver strip club, but drank so much that he couldn't remember most of what happened, behavior that brought disrepute to the judiciary.
• Parked in a handicapped parking space, then threatened a handicapped woman who complained.
• Accessed pornographic websites from his court-issued computer, then lied about it.
• Solicited prostitutes on his court-issued cell phone.
• Asked a prostitute to lie to investigators about their relationship.
The complaints, filed in 2007 and 2008, were under investigation by the special committee when Nottingham stepped down.
The panel had already conducted numerous interviews on the charges, plus analyses of telephone, computer and credit card records. That investigation prompted the committee to add the charge of lying to an existing 2007 charge about misusing computers.
Until the order today, the court had not commented on the investigation or officially revealed the charges against Nottingham.
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October 30, 2008
10:03 a.m.
Suggest removal
Scott writes:
Why am I not surprised with this. Pimp (Henry) looking out for a fellow pimp (Nottingham).
Scott
October 30, 2008
10:10 a.m.
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Who_Me writes:
"Asked a prostitute to lie to investigators about their relationship."
Dismissed because it is moot now? Unbelievable. Well, not really as it turns out. How does witness tampering become moot, given that he is still alive? And people wonder why there is so little faith in the legal system. Arrogant SOB.
October 30, 2008
10:27 a.m.
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B300 writes:
This is sick!!!! Why do we keep letting these piecies of sh&t get away with the things they do against the people and our state and country? We should fry eddie and his pals that let him go!!!!!!!! You guy's wonder why people have no respect for the system.
October 30, 2008
10:30 a.m.
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Blacksheep writes:
Our whole justice department needs to be switched out. These same judges locked up my brothers and let crooked a$$ coppers back out on the streets. We are in trouble people!
October 30, 2008
10:30 a.m.
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kodijack writes:
Why do federal judges need the government to pay for their cell phone?
October 30, 2008
10:47 a.m.
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BroncoRick69 writes:
I think this is great. ha ha. A judge indulging in such debauchery. Makes me laugh. I wonder how he was able to pull himself together enough to do his Judge duties after letting himself slip so far down the slope.
October 30, 2008
10:59 a.m.
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Mtnsjohn writes:
But wouldn't these allegations prompt an inquiry whether he should be disbarred as an attorney?....otherwise might we see him representing clients in the same courtroom he presided over.
Or is this behavior acceptable for attorneys but not for judges?
October 30, 2008
11:01 a.m.
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thw writes:
The charges were dismissed because Nottingham is no longer a federal judge. To allow the charges to proceed would be like firing a kid at McDonalds because he stole from the register even though he already quit and now works for Burger King. The kid (and Nottingham) are not off the hook for criminal charges, just job misconduct.
October 30, 2008
12:05 p.m.
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B300 writes:
May have lied? Are these people kidding? These low life terds are no better than the criminals roaming the streets, AND THAT INCLUDES THE P.O.S. THAT DROPED THE CHARGES. COME ON PEOPLE, STAND UP AND DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!!!
October 30, 2008
12:21 p.m.
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gs writes:
What was so wrong with his ex-wife that he had to do this? Why not just legalize prostitution. Just like gambling. The girls he rented were a lot less expensive than his wife after the divorce settlement.
October 30, 2008
12:27 p.m.
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buzzman writes:
Broncoric and ricky are right- this lier needs to do some time-he and politicians make me ill
October 30, 2008
1:33 p.m.
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wyhammertime writes:
Good luck Kay I belive you will see the fastest coverup in colorado history !! Rember justice is blind !! America where the crimanals go free and the victums are burned at the stake !!!!
October 30, 2008
2:03 p.m.
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lwt5150 writes:
Some people are more equal under the law than others.
I'd probably be doing 5-10 for solitication and misuse of public funds!
October 30, 2008
3:24 p.m.
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sheepherder writes:
Last time I checked, witness tampering was a criminal offense. Why no federal prosecution? Lawyers protecting lawyers...sickening!
October 30, 2008
4:32 p.m.
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dano writes:
He acted appropiately for a judge. He's the Man! That wasn't water he was drinking. His recess was to the max. Quite the dude.
October 31, 2008
9:23 a.m.
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rg writes:
Vote no on any judge's 3rd term. I know Judge Hyatt seeks to evade term limits to inherit Fed. Judge Nottingham's mantle-type behavior in Denver District Court. Too much time on the Bench imbues arrogance and abuse in hamburger lawyers whose allegiance is much more to the Bar than to justice, also, their arena where non-lawyers are excluded. I'd rather the bar was precluded from sitting on the Bench in a separation of powers mandate as in a citizen's constitutional initiative.