Colorado Judge Resigns After Using N-Word Repeatedly

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO — A white Colorado judge resigned after she used racist language repeatedly, court documents showed.

The Colorado Supreme Court accepted the resignation of Natalie T. Chase, a former Arapahoe County District Court judge, in a court order released Friday.

"You acknowledge that your use of the N-word does not promote public confidence in the judiciary and creates the appearance of impropriety," the Supreme Court ruled. "Although not directed at any person, saying the N-word has a significant negative effect on the public’s confidence in integrity of and respect for the judiciary."

Chase told the Colorado Supreme Court that she did not intend "any racial animus" and apologized, according to the order. She also acknowledged that she "undermined confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary by expressing [her views] about criminal justice, police brutality, race and racial bias," the order said.

Patch reached out to Chase's attorney for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Chase was driving back to work in 2020 with a family court facilitator after they attended a program in Pueblo. Chase used the N-world multiple times during their conversation, according to the order.

Chase asked the facilitator, who was Black, "about why Black people can use the N-word but not white people, and whether it was different if the N-word is said with an 'er' or an 'a' at the end of the word," the court order said. "During the conversation, Judge Chase used the full N-word a number of times," according to the order.

The facilitator felt "angry and hurt by the conversation," the order said. She said that Chase's use of the full N-word was "like a stab through [her] heart each time."

Don’t miss the latest news updates in Denver, Boulder, Arvada, Lakewood and Littleton. Sign up for free Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

After the incident, Chase was in court in full robes when she told coworkers that she "would be boycotting the Super Bowl because she objected to the NFL players who were kneeling during the National Anthem in protest of police brutality against Black people," the order said.

After the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a Black court employee explained the Black Lives Matter movement to Chase, and she "stated that she believes all lives matter," according to the order.

In another incident, Chase referred to another judge as a "f***** b****," the order said.