Maradona death trial enters key phase with medical report testimony

A crucial phase of the trial over Diego Maradona's death is set to begin with the testimony of forensic doctor Carlos Mauricio Cassinelli. Cassinelli, formerly the director of Forensic Medicine for the Scientific Police, was a member of the Interdisciplinary Medical Board that investigated Maradona's 2020 death.

In 2021, this board, comprising official experts and defense/plaintiff representatives, produced a 70-page report. The report concluded that the healthcare professionals attending Maradona in his final days acted "inadequately, deficiently, and recklessly." It highlighted that the signs of life-threatening risk presented by the patient were ignored. The board stated that Maradona should have continued his rehabilitation and interdisciplinary treatment in a suitable institution, given his clinical and psychiatric condition.

Maradona died at a home outside Buenos Aires while undergoing treatment. The report suggests he may have suffered for up to twelve hours before his death. The ongoing trial focuses on eight individuals: neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychoanalyst Carlos Díaz, Swiss Medical coordinator Nancy Forlini, doctor Pedro Di Spagna, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni, and nurse Ricardo Almirón. They are all charged with simple homicide with eventual intent.