An Argentine court on Thursday declared a mistrial in the case involving seven medical professionals accused of negligence in the death of football icon Diego Maradona. Maradona is widely considered one of the greatest players ever and remains a national hero in Argentina. The mistrial was prompted by the withdrawal of one of the three judges, Julieta Makintach, following criticism over her involvement in a documentary about the case.
Judge Makintach`s withdrawal occurred on Tuesday amidst controversy regarding her prominent role in `Divine Justice,` a documentary that tracked the case from Maradona`s death in 2020 through the start of the trial. Her participation and the documentary itself caused a one-week halt to the trial after prosecutor Patricio Ferrari requested the San Isidro court investigate whether Makintach improperly allowed filming during proceedings.
The declaration of a mistrial means the case will restart from the beginning, voiding all proceedings that took place from March 11. A higher court will now randomly select three new judges, and a date for the new trial has not yet been set.
The case focuses on seven members of the medical team responsible for Maradona`s care. They face accusations of failing to provide proper treatment to the 1986 World Cup winner before his death in November 2020. He died from cardiac arrest while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot. The defendants include his main doctor, Leopoldo Luque, along with his psychologist, psychiatrist, medical coordinator, and several nurses. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to negligence, arguing that Maradona was a challenging patient who often refused care.
Maradona participated in four FIFA World Cups throughout his career, most notably captaining Argentina to victory in the 1986 tournament against West Germany. His memorable performance, including the controversial “Hand of God” goal and a brilliant solo effort in the quarterfinal win against England, cemented his legendary status globally and in Argentina. Maradona, who died at age 60, is widely considered one of history`s greatest football players.
