'Simple homicide' trial of 8 doctors for Diego Maradona's death

Diego Maradona, world soccer legend, died unexpectedly on November 25, 2020, while sleeping in a rented house in Tigre (Buenos Aires). A little more than a month shy of his 60th birthday, the "Pelusa" suffered from chronic heart failure which caused his heart to stop while he slept. His death left his medical staff under scrutiny, given that he was in the care of a group of health professionals.

Maradona was staying at the rented house to recover from a recent operation under the care of his entourage of psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses, who will now have to face the local justice system. The Criminal Court of Appeals and Guarantees of San Isidro confirmed the indictment of eight professionals, under the charge of "simple homicide with malice afterthought."

The accused are neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque; psychologist Carlos Ángel "Charly" Díaz; physician Nancy Edith Forlini; psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov; nurse coordinator Mariano Ariel Perroni; nurses Ricardo Omar Almirón and Dahiana Gisela Madrid and clinician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna.

All of them are awaiting trial and, if found guilty, will face a prison sentence of between 8 and 25 years in prison. According to the prosecutors' original request, the eight defendants did not comply with the "mandate to act in good medical practice that was placed on their heads." In addition, the prosecutors state that they could have prevented the heart condition of the world champion as "guardians" of his well-being.

"The prosecution begins its indictment by indicating who was in charge of the patient's care, detailing the time and place of the situation in question, and then refers specifically to the performance of each of them, according to the roles they assumed, establishing how their misconduct caused Maradona's death," said Judge Gustavo Herbel.

The request for the case to go to trial dates back to April 2022, when the prosecutors Patricio Ferrari, Cosme Iribarren and Laura Capra stated the following: "We find ourselves with certainty and in a position to affirm that the persons mentioned today in this request have had criminal responsibility in the death of Mr. Diego Armando Maradona, according to the degree of provisionality required at this stage of the proceedings."

For the time being, the defendants have not been remanded in custody, so they may remain free until trial. Among them there are two accused, Luque and Cosachov, who will also face an additional charge. The neurosurgeon Luque is also accused of forging Maradona's signature to request a medical history, while the psychiatrist Cosachov is accused of having written a certificate of mental aptitude of Maradona without even having visited him. Therefore, they will also be charged with "use of a false private document" and "ideological falsity," respectively.

Diego Maradona was an Argentine soccer player who was active between 1976 and 1994, playing for clubs such as Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Napoli and Barcelona, among others. He was the world champion in 1986, for which he was adored until the day of his death. He is considered one of the best soccer players of all time, along with Lionel Messi (also Argentinean) and Brazil's Pelé.