"We hope the court will rise to the occasion" — that's how attorney Mario Baudry, representing Maradona's youngest son Diego Fernando, greeted the reopening of the trial into the football legend's death. After the first attempt collapsed in a mistrial, proceedings started again on Tuesday, April 14, in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires.
Diego Maradona died on November 25, 2020. He was 60 years old, recovering from brain surgery to remove a blood clot, when a heart attack killed him. What happened in the care he received before that moment is what the court is now being asked to judge — again.
Who is on trial and what they're accused of
Seven members of Maradona's medical team face charges of negligent homicide. The three most prominent defendants are neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, and psychologist Carlos Diaz. All have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter with implied malice.
The charges didn't appear from nowhere. A prosecutor-appointed medical board reviewed the circumstances of Maradona's death in 2021 and concluded his care had been "inappropriate, deficient and reckless." That's a damning summary. A conviction could mean up to 25 years in prison for those found responsible.
The first trial — which ran for only three months — was thrown out after presiding judge Julieta Makintach was removed on misconduct allegations. A fresh start was the only option, and nearly a year later, that's where things now stand.
What the retrial means
Close to 100 witnesses are expected to give testimony. The case is long, complex, and politically charged in a country where Maradona isn't just a footballer — he's a cultural institution. Baudry put it plainly: the court needs to understand "what Diego represented for Argentinians and for the world of football."
That weight won't speed up justice. Argentine legal proceedings at this scale rarely move quickly, and with a previous mistrial already behind them, Maradona's family knows better than to expect a swift resolution. The case is back in motion. Whether it stays that way is another matter entirely.
