Judge Julieta Makintach announced on Tuesday that she would withdraw from her position following reports that she had taken part in a documentary about Maradona’s passing and its aftermath.
Dalma and Gianinna, Maradona’s eldest daughters, Fernando Burlando and Fernando Burlando, both represented them in court.
While the proceedings are pending, judges are generally prohibited from conducting interviews and other public commentary. A three-judge panel that evaluated the fate of seven healthcare workers who assisted Maradona in his final days has been constituted by Makintach since March 11.
Following Maradona’s death by cardiac arrest in 2020, the group of six have been charged with negligent homicide.
A significant amount of scrutiny has been drawn in by this well-known case in Argentina. Maradona won the 1986 World Cup with the help of the national football team.
His participation in the World Cup that year has since become a sporting legend. Even a foul he committed in the quarterfinal has been dubbed the “Hand of God” because it gave Argentina the victory it had over England, a rival nation that had an ongoing territorial dispute with.
Maradona was named one of FIFA’s two “Players of the Century” in 2000, along with Pele from Brazil.
However, Maradona struggled with addiction, and he died shortly after having brain surgery to remove a blood clot. In turn, questions were raised about whether the football player received adequate medical care during his final years as a result of his death.
A neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who attended him were the defendants in the seven cases. If found guilty, they could spend up to 25 years in prison. Eight people are scheduled to appear in court separately.
The seven main defendants are scheduled to face off against them in court hearings involving more than 190 witnesses. Maradona’s death was “was predetermined,” according to one coroner who testified to the court in March, and most likely came from an “agony.”
However, last week, one of the principal defendants, Leopoldo Luque, demanded that Judge Makintach be sacked from the bench.
When Maradona passed away, Luque was both a personal physician and neurosurgeon. Julio Rivas, Luque’s attorney, claimed that the BBC, a British news outlet, had approached him to participate in the documentary.
Through that conversation, Rivas explained that Juan Makintach, Judge Makintach’s brother, was connected to the documentary’s production company.
Additionally, police alleged that Judge Makintach had approved a camera in the courtroom.
As the case was being reviewed, prosecutor Patricio Ferrari requested that the trial be put on hold for a week on May 20. The trial’s beginning was depicted in footage that the court received from the documentary. The judge appeared to be a central figure in the proceedings.
Judge Makintach has refuted accusations of misconduct. Ferrari, however, argued that Ferrari’s claim that the situation threatens the judiciary’s standing.
Source: Aljazeera
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