The Prosecutor's Office of the City of Buenos Aires presented this Thursday a request for a sentence that includes twelve years in prison and ten years of professional disqualification for the neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, Diego Armando Maradona's family doctor. Luque is accused of simple homicide with possible intent, that is, of having acted with knowledge that his actions could cause the death of the footballer.
In the same file, prosecutors requested sentences of four to ten years in prison and professional disqualification for five of the other defendants, and the acquittal of a seventh defendant. Among the other names are Swiss Medical home care coordinator Nancy Forlini, who is required to face ten years in prison and ten years of disqualification; the psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, with eight years in prison and ten years of disqualification; the psychologist Carlos Díaz, with five years in prison and ten years of disqualification; and the head of nurses Mariano Perroni and the nurse Ricardo Almirón, both with four years in prison and eight years of disqualification. The last three are charged with manslaughter, a crime that involves negligence without intent to cause death.
Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari explained that the home treatment that Maradona received in November 2020 was “anarchic”, with two headquarters and two independent information channels, which generated absolute disorganization. According to the prosecutor, the six defendants "violated the duties under their charge, carried out actions contrary to the art of healing, omitted all the acts that they should have carried out and placed Maradona in a helpless situation, freeing him to his fate."
The clinical doctor Pedro DiSpagna, who only visited Maradona once, was declared “he had no power or decision to direct the patient's health” and, therefore, the Prosecutor's Office requested his acquittal.
The trial began on April 14 before the Oral Criminal Court (TOC) No. 7 of San Isidro, on the outskirts of the city. To date, 45 evidence production hearings, 75 testimonies have been held, and nearly one hundred messages taken from the defendants' phones have been presented.
With this request, the Prosecutor's Office seeks for the court to impose the requested sentences and, where appropriate, acquittals, thus concluding the process that followed Maradona's death on November 25, 2020. The final verdict is expected in the next sessions of the court.