Daughters' lawyer at Maradona trial, 'he was murdered in cold blood'
Quick Look
On the final day of the arguments of the civil parties at the trial for the death of Diego Maradona in Buenos Aires, the lawyer Fernando Burlando asked for sentences of up to 15 years for the neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and lesser sentences for other members of the medical staff, accusing them of having killed the former footballer with possible malice and defining his death as a cold-blooded murder.
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Why It Matters
Diego Maradona passed away in November 2020 at his residence in Buenos Aires. The ongoing trial accuses several members of the medical staff who treated him of manslaughter and, in some cases, of simple murder with possible malice.
On the final day of the arguments of the civil parties in the trial for Maradona's death underway in Buenos Aires, the lawyer of the former footballer's daughters called for exemplary sentences for the neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and the rest of the medical staff who treated him. For the crime of simple murder with possible malice, the lawyer Fernando Burlando asked for sentences of 15 years for Luque; 12 years for Swiss Medical health insurance coordinator, Nancy Forlini; and 10 years for the psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov. Instead, five years were requested for the psychologist Carlos Diaz and four for the nurse Ricardo Almiron and his boss, Mariano Perroni, all found guilty of manslaughter. Just as the prosecuting magistrate had previously invoked, Burlando also requested the acquittal of the clinical doctor Pedro of Spain, considered extraneous to the facts.
Today's speech was the longest (over three hours), hard and emotional among those heard in these final phases of the hearing in the court of San Isidro, in Buenos Aires.
"They killed a mythological hero, a warrior capable of traveling towards oblivion and death and returning at will. And they did it in a cowardly way, taking advantage of his delicate health", attacked the lawyer representing Dalma and Gianinna Maradona. "At the beginning of this trial I said that Diego was murdered. Today, I repeat it: he was murdered in cold blood, and that statement is no longer based on what the defense presented or on what Dalma and Gianinna claimed. Today that thesis is based on all the evidence that emerged during these hearings," he added.
"Diego was hospitalized in that house that I defined as a pigsty, but he got there alive. The doctors who were treating him ignored signs and symptoms that would have worried anyone. Diego's body was crying out for help, but the indifference was brutal", concluded Burlando.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The court will issue convictions for at least some of the defendants within the next few weeks.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What will the court's final decision be on sentencing requests?
- How will the judge evaluate the individual responsibilities of each defendant?
- Will there be appeals after the first instance ruling?
