Prosecutors and family conclude arguments in Maradona death case — Buenos Aires Times
In Argentina, at the court in the city of San Isidro, the closing arguments of prosecutors and representatives of Diego Maradona’s family have concluded in the case concerning the footballer’s death. The defence of the seven medical professionals standing trial in the case is to present its closing arguments next week, Buenos Aires Times reports.
The family’s position
Fernando Burlando, the lawyer for Maradona’s daughters Dalma and Giannina, called for six of the seven defendants to be found guilty. He requested a 15-year prison sentence for neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, 12 years for medical coordinator Nancy Forlini, and 10 years for psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov.
Representatives of Maradona’s three sisters — Rita, Claudia and Ana — requested sentences of up to 10 years for five defendants, but called for psychologist Carlos Díaz to be acquitted. This position came as a surprise to Dalma and Giannina Maradona, who were present at the hearing.
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The prosecution’s demands
Last week, state prosecutors requested 12 years in prison for Luque, 10 years for Forlini and eight years for Cosachov. According to the prosecution, the case concerns homicide with eventual intent: a person is aware that their actions or inaction may lead to death.
For Díaz, prosecutors are seeking five years in prison. For medical worker Ricardo Almirón and his coordinator Mariano Perroni, prosecutors are seeking four years in prison each on charges of negligent homicide. All parties called for doctor Pedro Di Spagna to be acquitted.
The trial of the seven medical professionals has been underway since April. It concerns Maradona’s death on November 25, 2020, while he was receiving home care in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, after surgery for a brain hematoma. He died at the age of 60 from cardiorespiratory arrest and acute pulmonary edema. The medical professionals deny the charges against them, and the date for the verdict has not yet been set.
