Prosecutors in Maradona death trial seek sentences up to 12 years

Argentine prosecutors opened closing arguments Thursday in the trial over Diego Maradona's death. They told the court his medical team left him "in a helpless situation" and abandoned him to his fate. Seven health workers, including his chief doctor, a psychiatrist, a psychologist and nurses, have been on trial since April. They are accused of grossly inadequate care before the 1986 World Cup star died at 60. He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a buildup of fluid in the lungs. It happened at a rented home in Tigre, a Buenos Aires suburb, two weeks after surgery for a brain clot. [1]

Prosecutor Patricio Ferrai blamed the defendants' "chaotic organization" and said they "omitted all the acts they were required to perform" for their patient. The case turns on whether letting Maradona recover in a private home instead of a hospital was negligent. Prosecutors point to the near-total lack of equipment there, including a hospital bed, a defibrillator and a quickly available ambulance. Several medical experts testified that his carers missed warning signs such as edema, tachycardia and trouble breathing. Assistant prosecutor Cosme Iribarren said the signs of his death appeared long beforehand. Maradona's three daughters, in court Thursday, covered their faces as prosecutors again showed images of his body. [1]

The defendants are charged under the legal concept of "dolo eventual" which means knowing your actions could cause harm and going ahead anyway. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison. They deny the charges. They argue his death could not have been foreseen and say they did their jobs, and each has downplayed their own role in his care. The closing arguments are expected to take about two weeks, with a verdict to follow later. This is the second trial. The first was annulled last year after two and a half months of hearings, when it emerged that a judge had taken part in a secret documentary about the case. [1]