Argentine court declares a mistrial in the case over the death of Diego Maradona
An Argentine court on Thursday declared a mistrial in the case of seven health professionals accused of negligence in the death of football legend Diego Maradona.
It was the latest dramatic twist in a trial that has captivated the nation and the football world for more than two months.
The whiplash decision comes after one of the three judges overseeing the trial stepped down over criticism surrounding her participation in a forthcoming documentary about the case.
Julieta Makintach withdrew from the case after the prosecutor showed footage of the documentary that spans the first moments after the football star's death in 2020 to the start of the trial more than two months ago, in which the judge appears as one of its lead characters.
Maradona, who led Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986, died on November 25, 2020, while undergoing home hospitalisation on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, days after undergoing surgery for a hematoma that formed between his skull and brain. He was 60.
Seven healthcare professionals are on trial for allegedly failing to provide adequate care and could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
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