|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Romanowski trial: Day 3 Romo's lawyers criticize antics of lead investigator
Updated: Thursday June 28, 2001 10:55 PM
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) -- Attorneys for Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski, charged with illegally obtaining prescription diet pills, suggested Thursday the lead investigator in the case was overzealous and intimidating. Douglas County Sheriff's deputy Jeff Grimwood acknowledged during Romanowski's trial Thursday that he slapped high-fives with another investigator after Romanowski acknowledged in a taped telephone conversation that he took the appetite suppressant phentermine. Grimwood said the gesture was simply an outburst of emotion. "I was just shocked and overwhelmed with the information we obtained," Grimwood said under questioning by defense attorney Jeff Springer. The gesture came after Grimwood and another investigator emerged from the office of Dr. Randall Snook, Romanowski's physician at the time. Prosecutors wrapped up their case Thursday and Romanowski's attorneys asked District Judge Thomas Curry to rule for acquittal. They said there was no evidence anyone had been defrauded and no evidence of the conspiracy Romanowski is charged with. "Even if there's evidence of an agreement, there's no evidence of a crime," Springer said. Curry denied the motion and the defense also rested. Romanowski, 35, is accused of obtaining phentermine from prescriptions written for his wife, Julie, and two other people during the 1998 season. The Broncos won the Super Bowl after that season. Prosecutors said he got prescriptions for 500 pills during a four-month span and have suggested Romanowski used phentermine to enhance his play. Phentermine is not banned by the NFL. Defense attorneys suggested Grimwood was out to get Romanowski, and during the investigation showed up at an autograph signing session at the Park Meadows mall. "At this autograph session, you were there to intimidate Bill and Julie Romanowski, weren't you?," Springer asked "That is incorrect," Grimwood replied. Grimwood acknowledged getting an autographed photo from Romanowski, saying he was a big fan of the NFL and of Romanowski. Grimwood put the photo on his desk at work and in an office prank, another sheriff's employee taped a piece of paper to the frame that read: "Proud to be drug-free." Springer pointed out that Curry threw out statements made by the Romanowskis after ruling that officers entered their home illegally. Before heading back into the courtroom for closing statements, Romanowski said investigators had harassed him, his housekeeper and his teammates. "You know what they said to my teammates?" he asked. "They said, 'You tell us what's going on or you're next.'" Romanowski is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deceit, and two counts of conspiracy. Snook pleaded guilty earlier this year to providing the pills and was sentenced to 18 months probation. Former Romanowski friend Loretta Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally obtain the prescription drug for the Romanowskis. Julie Romanowski is scheduled to go on trial Aug. 14 on eight counts of illegally obtaining diet pills and one count of conspiracy. Snook on Wednesday said he assured Romanowski that filling prescriptions in other names was nothing to worry about, saying the whole point was to guard the player's privacy. Snook prescribed the pills after Romanowski said he wanted to suppress his appetite before practice and games. Snook also told the court that Romanowski never asked him to do anything inappropriate. Romanowski is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who helped the Broncos win Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
