Gianinna Maradona, daughter of the late football icon Diego Maradona, testified on Tuesday in a negligence trial in San Isidro, Buenos Aires, where she angrily confronted neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, who was considered Maradona's primary physician at the time of his death. According to multiple reports, Gianinna accused Luque, along with psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Díaz, of being responsible for her father's health and the home confinement where his health deteriorated. She specifically criticized Luque for denying his role as Maradona's doctor, saying it made her angry that he would not take responsibility, as reported by The Independent - Main.
Diego Maradona died at age 60 from cardiac arrest in November 2020 while recovering from surgery for a blood clot on the brain. The defendants, including Luque, Cosachov, and Díaz, are charged with culpable homicide, similar to involuntary manslaughter, for allegedly failing to provide adequate medical care during his recovery. The prosecution argues that the medical team neglected Maradona's deteriorating condition, leading to his preventable death.
I heard on television that he said he wasn’t his doctor, and it makes me very angry that he won’t take responsibility.
During the trial, Gianinna Maradona stated that Luque, Cosachov, and Díaz were in charge of her father's health and the home confinement where his condition worsened. She expressed frustration that Luque had publicly claimed he was not Maradona's doctor, according to The Independent - Main. In response, Luque's defense alleged that Gianinna and her sister Dalma Maradona were responsible for not acting quickly enough to care for their father, shifting blame to the family.
The courtroom saw emotional moments when images of Maradona's dead body were shown, causing Gianinna to burst into tears. The trial has been marked by high drama, with the case previously declared a mistrial in May 2024 after Judge Julieta Makintach stepped down over criticism about her participation in a documentary on the case. The current trial is ongoing, and a verdict is not yet expected. The exact circumstances of Maradona's home confinement and the specific evidence regarding the medical team's alleged negligence remain unclear.