Latest news with #MaximilianoSavarino
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Maradona homicide trial declared null after 2 months, 40 witnesses
An Argentine court on Thursday nullified the trial of late football legend Diego Maradona's medical team after a judge stepped down over her role in an unauthorised documentary about the case. In what is widely considered an embarrassment for Argentina's judicial system, judge Maximiliano Savarino said the conduct of his colleague Julieta Makintach had 'caused prejudice' to the proceedings, which started in March and had already heard more than 40 witnesses. A new trial will be held from scratch, with a different panel of judges. Makintach, one of three judges, had recused herself on Tuesday after it emerged she had been interviewed for a miniseries about the case, potentially breaking a string of ethics rules. After police raids and a one-week suspension of proceedings, 47-year-old Makintach was accused of violating her impartiality, influence peddling and even bribery over her involvement in the miniseries Divine Justice. Judge Julieta Makintach arrives at court for a hearing in San Isidro, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, on Tuesday. Photo: AP A trailer for the television show was played in court Tuesday, showing Makintach stalking the halls of justice in high heels as grim details of the footballing hero's demise were relayed.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
After 2 months, 40 witnesses, Maradona trial declared null
An Argentine court on Thursday nullified the trial of late football legend Diego Maradona's medical team after a judge stepped down over her role in an unauthorized documentary about the case. In what is widely considered an embarrassment for Argentina's judicial system, judge Maximiliano Savarino said the conduct of his colleague Julieta Makintach had "caused prejudice" to the proceedings, which started in March and had already heard more than 40 witnesses. A new trial will be held from scratch, with a different panel of judges. Makintach, one of three judges, had recused herself on Tuesday after it emerged she had been interviewed for a miniseries about the case, potentially breaking a string of ethics rules. After police raids and a one-week suspension of proceedings, 47-year-old Makintach was accused of violating her impartiality, influence peddling and even bribery over her involvement in the miniseries "Divine Justice." A trailer for the TV show was played in court Tuesday, showing Makintach stalking the halls of justice in high heels as grim details of the footballing hero's demise were relayed. The footage appeared to contain unauthorized recordings allegedly made inside the courtroom -- a violation of court rules. Makintach initially denied authorizing any filming during the trial, but her credibility was questioned after the trailer showed her being interviewed by a film crew and walking through the courtroom. The prosecution, the complainants and most of the defense lawyers had asked for a new panel of judges to be appointed and the trial, which they consider tainted, restarted. No date has been set for the new trial, for which judges will be chosen by an internal court lottery. Thursday's ruling can still be appealed, lawyers told AFP, casting doubt on whether the already long-delayed proceedings will resume this year. - 'Agonizing' - Maradona -- considered one of the world's greatest ever players -- died in November 2020 aged 60 while recovering from brain surgery. He was found to have died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema -- a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs -- two weeks after going under the knife. His seven-person medical team is on trial over the conditions of his home convalescence, described by prosecutors as grossly negligent. The team faces prison terms of between eight and 25 years if convicted of "homicide with possible intent" -- pursuing a course of action despite knowing it could lead to death. Prosecutors allege the former footballer was abandoned to his fate for a "prolonged, agonizing period" before his death. Daughter Gianinna Maradona told the court her father was kept in "a dark, ugly and lonely" place and that his carers were more interested in money than his welfare.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Maradona trial collapses over judge's case documentary
The homicide trial of Diego Maradona's medical team collapsed on Thursday after one of the judges was found to have participated in a documentary about the case. An Argentine court nullified the trial, in which seven members of the football legend's medical team faced charges of negligent homicide, carrying sentences of between eight and 25 years. On Tuesday, Judge Julieta Makintach recused herself from the case after a video surfaced of her being interviewed inside the Buenos Aires courthouse, in violation of judicial rules. Judge Maximiliano Savarino said the conduct of his colleague had 'caused prejudice' to the proceedings, which started in March and had already heard more than 40 witnesses. It was expected to last for four months, but now a new trial will be held with a different panel of judges. The date for the new trial was not initially announced and new judges were not nominated. 'This is all a great embarrassment,' defence attorney Miguel Angel Pierri told media outside the courthouse. Ms Makintach, 47, bowed her head and bit her lip as footage of the 'Divine Justice' documentary was played in court earlier this week. The nearly two-minute-long preview for the series begins with Ms Makintach, striding through the entrance of the courthouse in a white skirt and high heels, and taking a lift to the upper floors. The trailer is interspersed with news broadcasts of Maradona's death, and an excerpt of an emergency call requesting an ambulance to an address in Buenos Aires. It ends with Ms Makintach preparing a bundle of documents at a desk in an office lined with ring binders and textbooks. Patricio Ferrari, prosecuting, denounced Ms Makintach as 'behaving like an actress and not a judge'. He said Ms Makintach 'spoke about Maradona, the trial, how it was unfolding'. He added: 'She has been completely influenced by her leading role, by the centrality of her figure.' The prosecution, the complainants and most of the defence lawyers asked for a new panel of judges to be appointed and the trial, which they consider tainted, restarted. Maradona died in 2020 aged 60 while recovering from brain surgery. He had been at his home in Buenos Aires recovering from surgery on a brain blood clot in November 2020 when he died of a heart attack. Prosecutors have alleged his death could have been avoided and described the care given as 'reckless, deficient and unprecedented'.
France 24
4 days ago
- France 24
After 2 months, 40 witnesses, Maradona trial declared null
In what is widely considered an embarrassment for Argentina's judicial system, judge Maximiliano Savarino said the conduct of his colleague Julieta Makintach had "caused prejudice" to the proceedings, which started in March and had already heard more than 40 witnesses. A new trial will be held from scratch, with a different panel of judges. Makintach, one of three judges, had recused herself on Tuesday after it emerged she had been interviewed for a miniseries about the case, potentially breaking a string of ethics rules. After police raids and a one-week suspension of proceedings, 47-year-old Makintach was accused of violating her impartiality, influence peddling and even bribery over her involvement in the miniseries "Divine Justice." A trailer for the TV show was played in court Tuesday, showing Makintach stalking the halls of justice in high heels as grim details of the footballing hero's demise were relayed. The footage appeared to contain unauthorized recordings allegedly made inside the courtroom -- a violation of court rules. Makintach initially denied authorizing any filming during the trial, but her credibility was questioned after the trailer showed her being interviewed by a film crew and walking through the courtroom. The prosecution, the complainants and most of the defense lawyers had asked for a new panel of judges to be appointed and the trial, which they consider tainted, restarted. No date has been set for the new trial, for which judges will be chosen by an internal court lottery. Thursday's ruling can still be appealed, lawyers told AFP, casting doubt on whether the already long-delayed proceedings will resume this year. 'Agonizing' Maradona -- considered one of the world's greatest ever players -- died in November 2020 aged 60 while recovering from brain surgery. He was found to have died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema -- a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs -- two weeks after going under the knife. His seven-person medical team is on trial over the conditions of his home convalescence, described by prosecutors as grossly negligent. The team faces prison terms of between eight and 25 years if convicted of "homicide with possible intent" -- pursuing a course of action despite knowing it could lead to death. Prosecutors allege the former footballer was abandoned to his fate for a "prolonged, agonizing period" before his death. Daughter Gianinna Maradona told the court her father was kept in "a dark, ugly and lonely" place and that his carers were more interested in money than his welfare. © 2025 AFP
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Straits Times
Diego Maradona death trial suspended as judge's impartiality questioned
(From left) Judges Veronica Di Tommaso, Maximiliano Savarino and Julieta Makintach are seen during the trial for the death of Diego Maradona. PHOTO: AFP SAN ISIDRO – The Argentinian court trying the medical team of late football legend Diego Maradona over his death suspended the trial on May 20 for a week, over questions about a judge's impartiality. The court ordered the suspension after defence lawyers said that the judge's involvement in a documentary about the case constituted a possible breach of her duty of impartiality, as well as possible influence peddling and even bribery. Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari said the pause was ordered 'to resolve an issue... of institutional gravity'. Two defence lawyers asked for the judge, Julieta Makintach, to be recused from the two-month-old trial. At issue is the alleged use of cameras in the courtroom in violation of a ban on filming the trial. The prosecutor's office will investigate whether the rule was broken and what part, if any, Makintach played in the transgression. Makintach told the court on May 20 that she could 'understand the concerns of all'. 'But I am convinced of my impartiality,' she said, adding that she would consider recusing herself from the case if there were doubts over the matter. 'I understand everyone's anxiety. I will give the explanations of the case. To denounce a judge, you have to have well-founded reasons.' The presiding judge, Maximiliano Savarino, said the trial would resume on May 27. Maradona died on Nov 25, 2020 at age 60, while recovering at home from brain surgery for a blood clot, after decades battling cocaine and alcohol addictions. He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema two weeks after going under the knife. He was found dead in bed by his day nurse. His seven-person medical team is on trial in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro over the conditions of his convalescence at a private home in the nearby suburb of Tigre. Prosecutors have described the football icon's care in his last days as grossly negligent. The defendants risk prison terms between eight and 25 years if convicted of 'homicide with possible intent' – pursuing a course of action despite knowing it could lead to death. The case so far has focused on the decision by Maradona's doctors to allow him recuperate at home, with minimal supervision and with minimal medical equipment, instead of in a medical facility. Testifying in court last week, Maradona's daughter Gianinna accused her father's carers of keeping him in 'a dark, ugly and lonely' place and said that they seemed more interested in money than his welfare. So far only one of the defendants, Maradona's psychiatrist, has been called to the stand. The passing of the star of the 1986 World Cup plunged Argentina into mourning in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of people queued to bid farewell to the former Boca Juniors and Napoli striker, as his body lay in state at the presidential palace. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
