MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

How long might Maradona's reckless doctors spend in jail?

Neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque might be convicted of “simple homicide with eventual malice”

A Court of Appeals in San Isidro on the outskirts of Buenos Aires Tuesday ruled that neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and six other health care practitioners must stand trial for the death of football star Diego Armando Maradona.

A three-member prosecuting team appointed by San Isidro Attorney General John Broyad charged the eight defendants as co-perpetrators of “simple homicide with eventual malice”, which carries a penalty of between 8 and 25 years in jail, it was reported.

In the opinion of one member of the court, the eight defendants did not comply “with the mandate to act that good medical practice placed in their heads”, and that as “guarantors” of the ex-football player's condition, they had the possibility of “reversing” his cardiac condition and did not do so.

In reaching its unanimous 248-page decision, the court found the attention given to the former football legend was “reckless” and “deficient.” The eight defendants remain at liberty before the trial, due to start in 2024, according to court sources.

In addition to Luque and Cosachov, other defendants include psychologist Carlos Ángel Díaz, coordinating physician Nancy Forlini, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, clinical physician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna, and nurses Ricardo Omar Almirón and Dahiana Gisela Madrid.

Maradona died aged 60 on Nov. 25, 2020, at his home where he was hospitalized, convalescing from head surgery. The post-mortem showed that he died as a result of “acute pulmonary edema secondary to exacerbated chronic heart failure” with a “dilated cardiomyopathy.”