Four years after the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, seven healthcare professionals will go on trial, accused of negligence during his final days.
The four-month trial, set to begin on Tuesday, March 11, in San Isidro, Buenos Aires, will hear testimony from more than 100 witnesses, including Maradona’s family members and doctors who treated him over the years.
The seven defendants face potential prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years if convicted. Maradona, who battled cocaine and alcohol addictions for decades, died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot. He was found dead in bed at a rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires neighborhood, where he had been moved after being discharged from the hospital two weeks earlier. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack.
A night nurse who was responsible for his care stated that he had noticed some “warning signs” but had “received orders not to wake him up.” Maradona’s death, which occurred in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, plunged Argentina into mourning. Tens of thousands of fans lined up to pay their respects as his body lay in state at the presidential palace.
Those standing trial include neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Diaz, medical coordinator Nancy Forlini, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, doctor Pedro Pablo Di Spagna, and nurse Ricardo Almiro. Another nurse, Gisela Dahiana Madrid, has requested a separate jury trial, which is set to take place in July.
Prosecutors allege the medical professionals provided “reckless” and “deficient” home treatment to Maradona, claiming he was abandoned to his fate for a “prolonged, agonizing period” before his death. A panel of 20 medical experts, convened by Argentina’s public prosecutor in 2021, concluded that Maradona “would have had a better chance of survival” if he had received proper medical care in an appropriate facility.
The investigating magistrate stated that each of the accused played a role in the events leading to Maradona’s death. However, all the defendants deny responsibility. Vadim Mischanchuk, lawyer for psychiatrist Cosachov, said he was optimistic about an acquittal, arguing that his client was responsible for Maradona’s mental health, not his physical condition.
Maradona’s family claims leaked audio and text messages reveal that the football legend’s health was in imminent danger. Mario Baudry, a lawyer representing Maradona’s son, Dieguito, alleged that the messages showed the medical team worked to keep Maradona’s daughters from intervening, fearing they would lose financial benefits.
Maradona remains a revered figure in Argentina, immortalized in murals, statues, exhibitions, and tattoos worn by devoted fans. Plans are also underway for a mausoleum in the heart of Buenos Aires, which will be free for Argentines and is expected to attract up to a million visitors annually. “We want our father to be close to the love of the people,” said his daughter Dalma Maradona in a video presentation of the site.