Four years after the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, seven health care professionals will be tried and charged with negligence in his final days.
The four-month trial, which will begin on Tuesday, March 11, in San Isidro, Buenos Aires, will hear testimony from more than 100 witnesses, including Maradona’s family and doctors treat him over the years.
Seven defendants face potential prison sentences, ranging from eight to 25 years if convicted. Maradona, who has struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction for decades, died at the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, while recovering from brain surgery to recover a blood clot. He was found dead in a rented house near Buenos Aires exclusively and was moved after being discharged from the hospital two weeks ago. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack.
A night nurse in charge of his care said he noticed some “warning signs” but “received orders not to wake him up.” Maradona’s death occurred during the 19th pandemic, plunging Argentina into mourning. Thousands of fans lined up to pay tribute when his body was in the state of the presidential palace.
Those routine trials include neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Diaz, medical coordinator Nancy Forlini, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, Pedro Pablo di Spagna doctor and nurse Ricardo Almiro. Another nurse, Gisela Dahiana Madrid, asked for a separate jury trial, which will be held in July.
Prosecutors accused medical professionals of providing Maradona with “resilly” and “insufficient” family treatment, claiming he was abandoned before his death for “long, painful periods.” A panel of 20 medical experts convened by Argentina’s prosecutor in 2021 concluded that if Maradona received proper medical services in the appropriate facilities, then Maradona “will have a better chance of survival.”
The Investigative Magistrate Judge said each defendant played a role in the incident that led to Maradona’s death. However, all defendants denied liability. Vadim Mischanchuk, a lawyer for psychiatrist Cosachov, said he was optimistic about acquittal and believed that his client was responsible for Maradona’s mental health, not his physical condition.
Maradona’s family claimed that audio and text messages leaked, indicating that the health of the football legend is at risk. Mario Baudry, an attorney representing Maradona’s son Dieguito, claimed that the information showed that the medical team worked to prevent Maradona’s daughter from intervening, fearing they would lose their financial interests.
Maradona remains a respected figure in Argentina, wearing frescoes, statues, exhibitions and tattoos among devout fans. The mausoleum in the center of Buenos Aires is also being planned, with Argentinians going to be free and expected to attract one million visitors each year. “We want our father to remain intimate with the love of the people,” his daughter, Dalma Maradona, said in a video speech on the website.
