The sensational Maradona court proceeding requires a retrial
In a surprising turn of events, the retrial for seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence in the death of soccer icon Diego Maradona has been deemed invalid and must be restarted. The San Isidro court made this decision following the resignation of Judge Julieta Makintach, one of three judges overseeing the trial, due to suspicion of bias.
Over the past two months, Makintach's impartiality had been questioned by defense lawyers. The latest controversy centered around her involvement in an upcoming documentary, "Divine Justice," which allegedly featured her prominently. Argentine media released footage over the weekend that appeared to show Makintach being interviewed in the courtroom, a blatant violation of the prohibition on camera recordings.
After considering the arguments from both parties, Presiding Judge Maximiliano Savarino declared that the judge's actions had caused harm to both the prosecution and defense. He declared the trial invalid, ruling that it must be carried out before another court. A date for the retrial has not yet been set. Roughly 40 witnesses have already testified since March.
Maradona, a 60-year-old football legend, passed away in 2020 following a brain operation, with the official cause of death listed as a heart attack and pulmonary edema. The seven defendants, which include Maradona's former personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque, have been charged with manslaughter. If convicted, they could face up to 25 years in prison. All defendants have denied the charges.
[1] sourcenov checked 2022[2] sourcenov checked 2022
Keywords: Diego Maradona, Trials, Argentina
- The invalidation of the retrial for the healthcare professionals accused of negligence in Diego Maradona's death has put the focus back onto the Community policy regarding courtroom recordings, which was allegedly violated in this case.
- As the European leagues continue to monitor the ongoing trials, the employment policy implications for judges serving on high-profile cases in the field of crime-and-justice are under scrutiny, following the resignation of Judge Julieta Makintach due to accusations of bias.
- With football fans worldwide eagerly awaiting updates on the retrial, news outlets like general-news and sports media have covered the developments extensively, discussing the potential impact of these issues on the fairness and outcome of the case, including the seven defendants' employment status for the duration of the trial.
