Lawyers defending Leopoldo Luque, the personal doctor of late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, have told a court that their client is innocent and has been unfairly blamed for the former footballer’s death.
During closing arguments in the ongoing trial in Argentina, Luque’s legal team rejected the prosecution’s claim that Maradona’s death in November 2020 could have been anticipated and prevented.
Defence lawyer Roberto Rallin described Luque as a “scapegoat”, arguing that the accusations against him were not supported by the evidence presented in court.
Another member of the defence team, Francisco Oneto, maintained that Maradona suffered an acute and unpredictable cardiac event, insisting that there had been no way to foresee the fatal outcome.
The lawyers also challenged the findings of a medical panel established to investigate the circumstances surrounding the football icon’s death. They argued that medical examinations conducted before Maradona’s brain surgery did not reveal the heart problems highlighted by prosecutors.
Luque’s defence further argued that his role changed after he operated on Maradona for a blood clot on the brain in November 2020, claiming that responsibility for the former player’s subsequent home care rested with other medical professionals.
However, prosecutors have accused the medical team of providing inadequate care during Maradona’s recovery at a private residence near Buenos Aires. They contend that warning signs of his deteriorating condition were ignored and that failures in his treatment contributed to his death.
Maradona died aged 60 on 25 November 2020 from a cardiorespiratory crisis and acute pulmonary oedema, a condition involving fluid accumulation in the lungs.
Luque is among seven healthcare professionals who have faced trial over the circumstances of the football legend’s death. Prosecutors have sought a 12-year prison sentence for the neurosurgeon, while other defendants face varying penalties.
All the accused deny the allegations, and the court is expected to determine their responsibility based on the evidence presented during the proceedings.
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