Global (Commonwealth Union)
In a dramatic twist, the Argentinian court has collapsed Diego Maradona‘s medical staff trial, declaring it a mistrial. An involved judge, who had participated in a documentary on the topic, announced the decision.
The case charges seven members of Diego Maradona’s medical team with homicide due to negligence. The former midfielder had been in recovery following brain surgery to remove a blood clot in September 2020 when he passed away in Buenos Aires due to a heart attack. Maradona, who led the Argentinian team to victory during the World Cup in 1986, is widely considered one of the greatest soccer players in history.
The prosecutors called for an investigation into the impartiality of Judge Julieta Makintach and allegations that she violated judicial integrity by allegedly authorizing filming inside the courthouse. The prosecutors also presented footage of a trailer produced for the documentary that included archival footage of Maradona and shots of Makintach walking through the courthouse corridors.
Following criticisms for her involvement in the documentary, with Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari’s accusations that Makintach had behaved “Like an actress and not a judge”, Makintach accepted the court’s disqualification, stating on Tuesday that she had “no choice” but to withdraw herself from the case. However, the judge vehemently defended her conduct, saying that her “impartiality is not at stake.”
The judges decided to act on Thursday and called for a redo of all the proceedings. The trial previously began on March 11 and was expected to continue into July.
Brought up against the soccer star’s primary physician, his psychiatrist, psychologist, medical coordinator, and nurses, the case charged them with culpable homicide, with accusations of malpractice during the hospitalization period in his home and failing to provide suitable care for Maradona during the weeks leading up to his passing, It carries a possible sentence of 25 years.
The case, since it began in March, had called for testimonies from a large number of witnesses, including Maradona’s daughters. However, despite the ruling in a new trial, the judges have not yet specified a date.
