Maradona's doctors and nurses face homicide charges

Diego Maradona and Peter Shilton during the famous 'Hand of God' goal. (Photo: Rex/Shutterstock)

Eight physicians, nurses, and a psychologist who cared for the legendary soccer player Diego Maradona will be tried for murder.

Maradona, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title as captain, passed away in November 2020 at 60.

The celebrity, who had surgery for a subdural hematoma a few weeks before his death, died of cardiac arrest.

Prosecutors now assert that his death was caused by "omissions" on the part of his carers.

In a 236-page document viewed by Reuters, the presiding judge questioned "the behaviours - active or by omission - of each of the accused which led to and contributed to the realization of the harmful result."

Eight individuals, including doctors, nurses, and a psychologist who cared for Maradona at the time of his death, are accused of "simple homicide," which is the intentional taking of a life.

The offense carries a possible prison sentence of eight to twenty-five years.

A medical team established to investigate Maradona's death in 2021 concluded that the superstar's medical personnel acted "inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner."

The defendants were Maradona's neurosurgeon and personal physician, Leopoldo Luque, a psychiatrist, Agustina Cosachov, a psychologist, Carlos Diaz, two nurses, Gisella Madrid and Ricardo Almiron, their supervisor, Mariano Perroni, and two physicians, Pedro Di Spagna and Nancy Forlini.

They denied responsibility for Maradona's death, and the judge stated that several of the defendants' attorneys had asked for the case to be dropped.

At all costs, the guilty individual is being hunted out.

Cosachov's attorney, Vadim Mischanchuk, stated that an appeal would be filed, saying that the psychiatrist's field of expertise had no bearing on Maradona's cause of death.

"A guilty party is being sought at all costs and objectivity is being lost," stated the attorney.

A lawyer representing one of Maradona's sons, Mario Baudry, told Reuters that the World Cup champion was "in a situation of helplessness" at his death.

Three days of national mourning followed Maradona's passing before he was laid to rest in a cemetery near Buenos Aires.

Maradona had a long history of health issues, including alcohol and cocaine dependency.

Before his death, Maradona was also brought to the hospital because he was "not well psychologically."

In 2005, he underwent gastric bypass surgery to decrease weight, and in 2007, he was treated for life-threatening alcohol-induced hepatitis.

Publish : 2022-06-23 11:12:00

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