A Colorado judge who was censored by the state Supreme Court after being accused of using racist language with a co-worker has resigned.
The Colorado Supreme Court said Arapahoe County District Court Judge Natalie T. Chase used the word N several times with a co-worker and was insensitive to race on many occasions, according to the court documents recommending discipline by Chase and public censorship of the court.
The documents detail a 2020 incident in which Chase, a former attorney general and a family court facilitator, returned to work after attending an event in Pueblo, Colorado.
“Judge Chase is white and the family court facilitator is black,” the documents said. “On Pueblo’s return, Judge Chase asked the family court facilitator questions about why blacks can use the word N but not whites and whether it was different if the word N is said with an“ er ”or a “a” at the end of the word. “
“During the conversation, Judge Chase used the full word N several times,” the documents state.
The facilitator felt uncomfortable and “felt angry and hurt by the conversation,” according to the documents. He explained that Judge Chase’s use of the full word N was “like a stab in the heart every time,” but he did not feel comfortable sharing his discomfort or emotions with Chase for fear of reprisals.
Following the incident, Chase made other derogatory statements, including communications to co-workers, some of whom were black, that he would “boycott the Super Bowl because he opposed NFL players who were kneeling during the national anthem. in protest of police brutality against Black people, ”the documents read.
After the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020 after former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck, Chase also expressed his opinion on the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests that took place in the United States
When two black court employees discussed the protests in Judge Chase’s room, she told them “some of her views on issues of racial justice” and “asked an employee some questions about the Black Lives Matter movement.”
“The employee tried to explain the Black Lives Matter movement and Judge Chase stated that he believes all lives are important,” according to the documents. “Judge Chase also stated that the conduct of police officers should be investigated in the George Floyd case.”
Several other incidents in which Chase spoke or treated his co-workers inappropriately are detailed in court documents, including an incident when he referred to another judge as “f ****** b *** * “while talking to a secretary.
The court said the judge violated four separate court rules and therefore undermined confidence in the judiciary. The Colorado Judicial Discipline Commission case recommended that the court publicly censure or convict Chase and the court sought his resignation.
Chase stated that he “did not seek any racial animus,” but acknowledged that his statements violated a rule “that requires a judge to act in a way that promotes public confidence in the judiciary.” He acknowledged that his use of the word N “does not foster public confidence in the judiciary and creates the appearance of inaccuracy.”
Chase submitted his resignation and the Colorado Supreme Court has accepted it, CBS Denver reports.