PERJURY PROBE IN ROMANOWSKI CASE

A special prosecutor will investigate whether a drug-enforcement agent and
a Douglas County sheriff's deputy lied in the prescription-drug cases of
Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski and his wife, Julie Romanowski.

Douglas County District Attorney Jim Peters asked the Denver DA's office to
investigate whether W. Kyle Brannon, an agent for the Drug Enforcement
Administration, and sheriff's investigator Jeff Grimwood lied under oath.

At a court hearing in May, the two investigators changed their stories
about how they entered the Romanowskis' home on Aug. 21, 1999, while
investigating allegations of prescription-drug fraud.

On May 15 - six weeks before Bill Romanowski's trial was to begin -
District Judge Thomas Curry threw out testimony from the pair, saying it
was "not credible."

The special prosecutor will "look into allegations that Grimwood and
Brannon possibly committed perjury," said Mike Knight, spokesman for the
18th Judicial District, which covers Douglas County.

The Douglas County DA's office asked Denver to handle the case because
Grimwood is a witness for several pending Douglas County cases.

It would be a conflict of interest to investigate him, according to a
motion filed late Tuesday. District Judge Kenneth Stuart granted the
request on Tuesday.

Appointment of the special prosecutor was prompted by the Romanowskis' lawyers.

Attorney Harvey Steinberg said he sent a letter to Peters' office
"suggesting that, based on the judge's findings, this was an area that
should be investigated."

"The judge found that the officers who testified were not credible," he said.

The Romanowskis did not request the investigation and had no comment, he said.

During a Feb. 8 hearing, Brannon said he and Grimwood entered the
Romanowskis' home at the invitation of a houseguest, and that the
Romanowskis met them in the foyer.

In May, however, Brannon said they stepped into the foyer at the invitation
of a houseguest but felt uncomfortable, and stepped back outside and
remained there until the Romanowskis invited them in.

In his ruling, Curry said the investigators entered the home illegally, and
he barred their testimony from the trial.

Bill Romanowski was acquitted on June 29 of charges that he fraudulently
obtained the prescription drug phentermine. Charges against Julie
Romanowski were dropped on July 18.

A decision on whether to file charges against Brannon or Grimwood will be
made after the case has been reviewed, said Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for
the Denver DA's office.

Brannon could not be reached for comment. Grimwood did not return a phone
message. Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office stood behind Grimwood.

An internal investigation found that Grimwood's testimony "was consistent
with the evidence and he did not violate any law or departmental policies,"
said Sgt. Tim Moore, sheriff's spokesman.