Doctor accused in Maradona's death claims he was made a scapegoat
In the closing arguments of the trial over Diego Maradona's 2020 death, Leopoldo Luque's lawyers say the neurosurgeon is innocent and was unfairly blamed.
During the final stage of the trial concerning Diego Maradona's death, lawyers for Leopoldo Luque maintained that their client did not cause the star's demise and was being used as a scapegoat. Roberto Rallin rejected the notion that the November 2020 death was foreseeable, and Francisco Oneto described the heart attack as an acute, unpredictable event. The prosecution, which has asked for a 12-year sentence, accused Luque of inaction despite alleged warning signs.
Luque's defense highlighted that clinical examinations before Maradona's surgery revealed no heart problems, contradicting the interdisciplinary medical commission's findings. Seven healthcare professionals have been on trial since April, with prosecutors requesting sentences from four to twelve years for six of them. The courtroom drama underscores the deep national mourning that followed Maradona's death at a Tigre residence after a subdural hematoma operation.
Why it matters
The case determines whether a high-profile doctor will be held criminally responsible for the death of a national sports icon.
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