Future of Diego Maradona death trial in doubt as scandal-hit judge steps down
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Judge Julieta Makintach stood down from the case on May 27, after video surfaced that showed her apparently being interviewed by a camera crew as part of a documentary.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BUENOS AIRES – A key judge in the trial of late Argentinian football superstar Diego Maradona’s medical team stepped down on May 27, amid a scandal that has thrown the future of the high-profile case into doubt.
Julieta Makintach recused herself after it emerged that she had been shooting a racy miniseries about the months-old trial, potentially breaking a string of ethics rules.
Maradona died in November 2020, at age 60, while recovering from brain surgery.
His seven-person medical team are on trial over the conditions of his home convalescence, described by prosecutors as grossly negligent.
After a series of police raids and a one-week suspension of the case, 47-year-old Makintach was accused of violating her impartiality, of influence peddling and even bribery over her role in the documentary miniseries Divine Justice.
A trailer for the feature was played in court, showing her stalking the halls of justice in high heels as grim details of the footballing legend’s demise were relayed.
According to a script, the miniseries would follow Makintach as she “reconstructs the death of Maradona and certain painful milestones of his life related to abandonment”.
Footage appeared to contain unauthorised recordings allegedly made inside the courtroom, a violation of court rules.
The hearing on May 27 was marked by insults, recriminations, shouting and tears.
In a bitter exchange, prosecutor Patricio Ferrari accused Makintach of behaving “like an actress and not a judge”.
As the trailer was played, defence lawyer Rodolfo Baque jumped out of his chair to shout “Trash!” at the judge.
Maradona’s daughter Gianinna tried to calm him, before she and the late footballer’s former partner, Veronica Ojeda, both began sobbing uncontrollably.
Makintach sat with her head bowed, biting her lip and eventually said she had “no choice” but to recuse herself as one of the case’s three justices.
Her removal is an embarrassment for Argentina’s judicial system and could yet derail a trial being watched by football diehards around the globe.
Maradona died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema.
Those responsible for his medical care face prison terms of between eight and 25 years, if convicted of homicide with possible intent.
The court will decide on May 29 whether the trial will go ahead or be scrapped and then restarted.
Some of the plaintiffs have called for a new trial, saying they felt proceedings have been tainted by the scandal.
“Everyone now feels that this is compromised,” said Mario Baudry, the lawyer for Ojeda.
“It’s healthiest to start over from scratch.” AFP
