A lawyer defending Leopoldo Luque, one of the doctors charged in the 2020 death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, told a court on Wednesday that his client is innocent and has been turned into a scapegoat.
Attorney Roberto Rallin rejected the prosecution’s claim that Maradona’s death was foreseeable. Another defence lawyer, Francisco Oneto, insisted the star’s death came from an acute and unpredictable heart attack. “There was absolutely no possibility of predicting this fatal outcome,” Oneto told the court.
Prosecutors have asked for a 12-year prison sentence for Luque, a neurosurgeon who was a key figure in Maradona’s care at the time. “We are here to proclaim Luque’s innocence, not with television slogans, but with the evidence that supports it,” Rallin said. “Leopoldo Luque has been the scapegoat.”
Maradona died at the age of 60 from a cardiorespiratory crisis and pulmonary edema. He was found dead in bed at a house in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, where he was recovering after surgery for a subdural hematoma. His death in November 2020 plunged Argentina into national mourning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of fans defied social distancing rules to pay their respects as he lay in state at the presidential palace.
Seven health-care professionals have been on trial since April for possible negligence during Maradona’s two-week recovery. Prosecutors want prison terms of four to 12 years for six of the seven defendants. They have accused Luque of “inaction,” claiming he repeatedly failed to respond to warning signs.
Luque’s lawyers strongly challenged the findings of an interdisciplinary medical commission set up by the court in 2021. That panel said Maradona had a history of heart problems that should have been considered. The defence argued that clinical tests done just before his final surgery showed no heart issues. “It’s so clear that Maradona didn’t have any heart problems in 2020,” Oneto stated.
Throughout the trial Luque has been the most vocal defendant, speaking several times in his own defence. He told the court he cared deeply for Maradona, calling him both his idol and his friend. The defence’s closing arguments are expected to continue until Thursday.
