Argentine court annuls trial over Diego Maradona’s death after controversy with judge

Buenos Aires, Argentina.- An Argentine court declared the trial that sought to clarify the circumstances of the death of the soccer star Diego Armando Maradona, which occurred in November 2020, null this Thursday, and in which seven health professionals faced charges of alleged medical negligence.

The surprising judicial decision came after it was revealed that one of the judges involved in the process participated in an unauthorized documentary about the case, which was considered a serious breach of the court’s impartiality.

The trial, which had generated great expectation both in Argentina and internationally, aimed to determine if there was criminal responsibility in the medical care that Maradona received during his last days. The accused, including doctors, psychologists, and nurses, were charged with manslaughter with eventual intent, under the argument that they had neglected their duty of care, thus contributing to the deterioration of the health of the former footballer until his death.

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The annulment of the process implies that everything done up to that moment is null and void, and it must be evaluated whether the trial should be restarted from scratch or if new measures should be taken within the Argentine judicial system.

The magistrate’s participation in the documentary, whose production did not have judicial authorization, was considered a violation of the principles of neutrality and independence of the judiciary, which led to the nullity ruled by the court.

The defendants’ defense celebrated the decision as a step towards the restoration of due process, while the Maradona family’s lawyers announced that they will appeal the measure, considering it a setback in the search for justice.

The country remains divided between those who clamor for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of one of the greatest icons of the world of sports, and those who consider that the trial has been politicized and distorted over time.

Maradona, world champion with Argentina in 1986 and an emblematic figure of world football, died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, after suffering cardiac decompensation in a private residence where he was resting after brain surgery.