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Taser death eludes full explanation

Published August 23, 2007 at midnight

The Denver Medical Examiner's office was unable to determine exactly what killed Denver Realtor Albert Romero, who was acting erratically and breaking lights in front of his house when police subdued him with a Taser.

The report prepared by Dr. James Wahe said Romero died in the early morning hours of July 16 of complications of a cardiopulmonary arrest, which occurred at a time when he had heart disease, was in a probable excited state, had marijuana in his system and had been subdued with jolts of electricity from a Taser.

Romero's wife, Debbie Romero, 47, could barely conceal her grief when asked for her reaction to the report.

"I feel the Taser is an electric chair without a trial," she said Wednesday. "Life is lonely and I have no work, because I worked for him."

Police were called to investigate a disturbance at Romero's home about 3 a.m. The 274-pound man appeared delirious outside his home, according to the autopsy, breaking yard lights and car head lights.

When he charged at a police car, a Denver officer fired a Taser, knocking Romero down. He was pronounced dead at 4:15 a.m. at Swedish Medical Center.

Debbie Romero said she thought the confrontation could have been avoided.

"If he would have been in his right mind, he would have known what was happening, but I think he was sleep walking," she said.

Romero worked for her husband, and lost that job when he died. "I'm just without everything right now, and no idea of the future," she said.

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