San Quentin Death Row Inmate Dies of COVID-19 Complications

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A prisoner on San Quentin's death row died Sunday at an outside hospital, apparently from complications related to the COVID-19 coronavirus, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Sunday.

Orlando G. Romero, 48, was sentenced to death in Riverside County on Aug. 28, 1996, for first-degree murder and second-degree robbery while armed with a firearm. He was also sentenced to three life-with-parole sentences: one for attempted first degree murder armed with a firearm, another for attempted first-degree murder and other numerous offenses, and the third for kidnap/robbery while armed with a firearm and several robbery offenses. He was admitted onto death row on Sept. 4, 1996

Romero is the 11th condemned prisoner at San Quentin to die since late June, the Department of Corrections said. He was the 20th San Quentin prisoner overall to die from complications of COVID-19, according to the Marin County Health and Human Services.

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