CASTLE ROCK, Colo. -- A doctor in the drug trial of Bill
Romanowski testified Wednesday he assured the Denver Broncos
linebacker that filling prescriptions for him in his wife's name
was nothing to worry about.
Dr. Randall Snook told the court that Romanowski never asked him
to do anything inappropriate. He said he was concerned about
Romanowski's privacy even though he understood the practice was
against the law.
"I said that it shouldn't be a problem, I've done this
before," Snook said. "It was to protect anonymity."
Romanowski, 35, is accused of obtaining the appetite suppressant
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.
Snook said he never talked to Bill Romanowski during that time
and only raised the issue with him when police came to his office
in August 1999.
A transcript of the phone conversation, which police taped
without Romanowski's knowledge, shows Snook told Romanowski he felt
uncomfortable about prescribing the drug in someone else's name.
Romanowski replied, "Is that all right? Is everything all right
in doing this?" Snook reassured him it was not a problem.
In a taped conversation between Snook and Julie Romanowski
earlier the same day, she told Snook they could put the
prescriptions under her husband's name if he wanted. Snook refused,
saying the whole point was to guard the Romanowskis' privacy.
Snook pleaded guilty earlier this year to providing the pills
and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.
Prosecutors have suggested that Romanowski used phentermine to
enhance his play and that he gave it to teammates, though he is not
charged with distribution. Phentermine is not banned by the NFL.
A medical expert testified the diet drug could have improved
Romanowski's play by making him slightly more aware of his
surroundings.
University of Colorado pharmacology professor Thomas French said
phentermine would cause tremors, nausea, confusion and blurred
vision in larger doses. He said there were no studies on
phentermine's ability to enhance performance.
"Increasing a dose of phentermine would be like strapping five
Hyundais together and getting behind the wheel. You would never get
the sensation of a Jaguar," French said.
Former Romanowski friend Loretta Johnson testified Tuesday that
Julie Romanowski said her husband used the drug "to give him an
edge." Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally obtain
the prescription drug for the Romanowskis.
Defense lawyers said Romanowski used the drug to suppress his
appetite because he didn't want to feel hungry during practice or
games.
Broncos strength trainer Rich Tutten testified that Romanowski
came to him in the fall of 1999 and asked that his weight records
be changed.
"I asked him if he was in trouble and he said he could be,"
Tutten testified. Tutten said he refused to change the data.
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.
Prosecutors expected to finish Thursday.
Julie Romanowski is scheduled to go on trial Aug. 14 on eight
counts of illegally obtaining diet pills and one count of
conspiracy.
Bill Romanowski is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who helped the
Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998.
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