A judge in Argentina has stepped down from the trial of Diego Maradona’s medical team after being chastised for appearing in a documentary on the case.
Seven members of the great footballer’s medical crew have been charged with negligent homicide in connection to his death in 2020. They dispute the charges.
Judge Julieta Makintach was accused of acting “like an actress and not a judge” by prosecutor Patricio Ferrari.
She was one of three judges in the case that was adjourned. On Thursday, a decision will be taken on whether to order a fresh trial.
Maradona, 60, died of a heart attack at home in Buenos Aires while recovering from brain blood clot surgery in November 2020.
Prosecutors claim his death could have been prevented and describe the care provided as “reckless, deficient, and unprecedented.”
A neurosurgeon, a doctor, and a night nurse make up the medical team on trial. They allege the footballer declined more treatment and should have stayed at home for longer after his surgery.
If convicted, they risk eight to twenty-five years in prison.
The long-awaited trial began on March 11 and was scheduled to go until July, but its future has been called into question.
Judge Makintach claimed she had “no choice” but to remove herself from the case.
Unauthorised filming violates court regulations in Argentina.
As a trailer for the documentary series Divine Justice was shown in court, defence lawyer Rodolfo Baque yelled “trash!” at Judge Makintach.
After seeing the film, both Maradona’s daughter Gianinna and his former lover Veronica Ojeda burst into tears.
Ms Ojeda’s lawyer, Mario Baudry, said there was a sense that the case had now been “compromised” and that it was “healthiest to start over from scratch”.
The court will decide whether the trial may be continued with a new judge or must be restarted from the beginning.
In July, an eighth member of Maradona’s medical team will be tried separately by a jury.
