Europe 1 with AFP 9:30 p.m., June 22, 2022
Eight health professionals will be tried in Argentina for manslaughter with aggravating circumstances, at the end of the investigation into the death in 2020 at the age of 60 of a heart attack of football legend Diego Maradona, announced Wednesday a judge.
Maradona had died of a cardio-respiratory attack in 2020.
A judge in San Isidro, Argentina, announced on Wednesday that eight medical professionals will stand trial for aggravated manslaughter after an investigation into the 2020 death of soccer legend Diego at age 60 from a heart attack. Maradona.
The trial of these professionals was confirmed, including a neurosurgeon and family doctor, a clinical doctor, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a nursing manager and nurses.
The prosecution had requested this trial in April, pointing out shortcomings and negligence in the care of the ex-star.
Maradona died alone in his medical bed
Maradona died of a cardio-respiratory attack on November 25, 2020, alone, on his medical bed in a residence in northern Buenos Aires, while recovering from neurosurgery.
He suffered from kidney and liver problems, heart failure, neurological deterioration, and addiction to alcohol and psychotropic drugs.
The eight suspects will be tried for "simple homicide with dolus eventualis", an offense characterized when a person commits negligence knowing that it can cause someone's death.
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They risk sentences ranging from 8 to 25 years in prison, but should appear free at trial, the San Isidro prosecutor's office having never requested their pre-trial detention.
Hospitalization at home "totally reckless"
According to prosecutors, the staff in charge of Maradona had been "protagonist of an unprecedented, totally deficient and reckless hospitalization at home", and had committed a "series of improvisations, mismanagement and defaults".
An expert report, as part of the investigation, had concluded that the former player had been "left to his fate" by his medical team, leading him to a slow agony.
Psychologist, doctor or nurse, the suspects had all during their hearings, defended their actions, within the framework of their field of competence, at the bedside of the champion.
Leopoldo Luque, attending physician and confidant of Maradona appearing among the accused, said he was "proud of what (he) did", claiming to have "tried to help" Maradona.
No date has been advanced at this stage for the holding of the trial.