CASTLE ROCK, Colo. -- A doctor knew he was providing diet
pills for Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski when he wrote
prescriptions for other people, Romanowski's lawyer told jurors
Tuesday.
Romanowski, 35, is accused of obtaining the appetite suppressant
phentermine from prescriptions written for his wife, Julie, and a
family friend during the 1998 season that the Broncos capped with a
Super Bowl win.
Defense lawyer Harvey Steinberg argued that Dr. Randall Snook
knew the pills were for Romanowski and was trying to shield the
athlete from attention.
"What this case comes down to is much ado about nothing," he
said. "He was trying to protect what he was concerned about, the
high profile of Mr. Romanowski."
The trial began after a 12 jurors and an alternate were seated
Tuesday.
Julie Romanowski is charged with eight counts of illegally
obtaining diet pills and one count of conspiracy. Her trial is
scheduled Aug. 14.
Snook pleaded guilty to providing the pills and was sentenced to
18 months' probation. A former friend of the Romanowskis, Loretta
Johnson, also has pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally obtain
a prescription drug.
In opening statements, prosecutor Michael Spear said a
pharmacist became concerned when Julie Romanowski tried to fill a
prescription for the diet drug in 1998.
"He was not seeing someone that was obese," Spear said. "This
was not, in his eyes at least, something that should be prescribed
for a thin individual."
Later, Johnson testified, Julie Romanowski asked her to get a
prescription under her name.
"She wanted it to be put in my name because the name Romanowski
makes a lot of attention," Johnson said. Johnson also picked up
prescriptions for ephedrine, she said.
Johnson said Snook assured her several times that she wasn't
breaking the law, but she asked Julie Romanowski to remove the
labels anyway.
"I told Julie she should take the label off because it's in my
name and it didn't look right," Johnson said.
Defensive line coach John Teerlinck testified that his
daughter's name also was used to fill prescriptions, without his or
his daughter's knowledge. His daughter Ann was the Romanowskis'
nanny.
Teerlinck said Bill Romanowski later apologized that Ann
Teerlinck's name was involved and they had reconciled.
"He said he felt real bad," Teerlinck said. "He said it was a
mistake. He was real sorry the way it turned out."
The trial is expected to last four days.
Earlier Tuesday, District Judge Thomas Curry denied a motion to
dismiss the charges against Romanowski. Steinberg had argued the
charges were based on a vague statute.
Romanowski is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who helped the
Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. He also won
two Super Bowl rings with San Francisco.
He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a
controlled substance, two counts of conspiracy and one count of
obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and deceit.
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