Maradona doctor was made ‘scapegoat’ for his death, Argentinian court told

Prosecutors person requested a 12-year situation condemnation for Leopoldo Luque, 1 of 7 healthcare professionals connected trial.

A lawyer for Leopoldo Luque, a doc charged successful the 2020 decease of Argentinian shot fable Diego Maradona, said successful closing arguments that his lawsuit was guiltless and had been made a “scapegoat”.

Lawyer Roberto Rallin rejected the prosecution’s statement that Maradona’s November 2020 decease was foreseeable, portion different defence lawyer, Francisco Oneto, maintained that his decease resulted from an “acute and unpredictable” bosom attack.

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“There was perfectly nary anticipation of predicting this fatal outcome,” Oneto insisted connected Wednesday.

Prosecutors person requested a 12-year situation condemnation for Luque, a neurosurgeon considered a cardinal decision-maker for Maradona astatine the clip of his death.

“We are present to proclaim Luque’s innocence, not with tv slogans, but with the grounds that supports it,” Rallin said. “Leopoldo Luque has been the scapegoat.”

Maradona died astatine property 60 from a cardiorespiratory situation coupled with pulmonary oedema. He was recovered dormant successful his furniture astatine a residence successful Tigre, northbound of Buenos Aires, rented for his convalescence, pursuing country for a subdural hematoma.

The decease of Argentina’s favourite lad plunged the state into mourning successful the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tens of thousands of radical defied societal distancing rules to bid farewell to him arsenic helium laic successful authorities astatine the statesmanlike palace.

A full of 7 healthcare professionals person been connected proceedings since April for imaginable negligence starring to the star’s decease during his 2 weeks of convalescence.

Prosecutors person requested sentences ranging from 4 to 12 years for six of the 7 defendants.

In its closing arguments, the prosecution condemned Luque’s “inaction”, saying his cognition “was ever to bash nothing” successful the look of the informing signs that Maradona was exhibiting.

Maradona’s contested aesculapian history

Luque’s lawyers peculiarly attacked the conclusions of the interdisciplinary aesculapian commission, which had been established by the tribunal successful 2021 to supply an sentiment connected the star’s death.

The commission, which based its findings connected the autopsy and different information, said Maradona had a past of bosom problems that should person been taken into account, a decision the prosecution emphasised. But Luque’s defence lawyers said objective tests done successful beforehand of Maradona’s country conscionable earlier his decease did not uncover immoderate bosom issues.

“It’s truthful wide that Maradona didn’t person immoderate bosom problems successful 2020,” Oneto said during closing arguments.

Throughout the trial, Luque was by acold the astir combative defendant, speaking respective times erstwhile helium felt helium was being implicated.

His ineligible squad played audio recordings, presented technological articles and adjacent a video of Maradona’s autopsy, provoking the choler of the footballer’s daughters.

“It’s casual to onslaught maine due to the fact that I’m the 1 who had the astir interaction with Maradona,” Luque said successful court, asserting that “the lone 1 who would support maine would beryllium Diego.

“I cared profoundly for him, I loved him, helium was my idol and my friend,” helium said.

Defence lawyer Nicolas D’Albora, who represents aesculapian coordinator Nancy Forlini, besides blamed Maradona’s demise connected Luque and different doctor, saying they “were obliged to warrant the patient’s health”.

Forlini faces a 10-year condemnation for homicide with intent, for an alleged nonaccomplishment to supply basal aesculapian instrumentality for location care.

The defence closing arguments are expected to proceed until Thursday.