The trial of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona entered its final stage on Wednesday, with defense lawyers arguing for the acquittal of psychologist Carlos Dias and psychiatrist Agostina Kossachov. They claimed the two had no connection to the death, were unable to prevent it, or lacked full knowledge of the facts.
Dias, an addiction treatment specialist, is a special case in the trial, which has been ongoing since April, against the medical team that supervised Maradona on charges of negligence leading to his death. Maradona passed away in November 2020 during home recovery following surgery described as minor. Dias, 34, joined Maradona in the last month of his life to help him quit alcohol and psychoactive drugs.
Contradictions in Accusations
While the prosecution and civil parties demanded prison sentences for six of the seven defendants, the case of Dias revealed a clear division, reflecting ambiguity regarding the true responsibilities surrounding Maradona in his final days. The Public Prosecutor's Office demanded a five-year sentence for him, a stance supported by two other parties. Meanwhile, a lawyer for one of Maradona's sons demanded a 12-year sentence, while two other parties called for his complete acquittal.
His lawyer, Luciano Zorrilla, stated at the beginning of the defense's arguments: "They could not agree on the nature of the charge against Carlos Dias or the reasons making him responsible for Maradona's death. This is a pivotal point in this trial." He added that different parties "present contradictory and conflicting accounts regarding his role," emphasizing that "the absence of certainty means doubt, and with doubt comes acquittal."
Defense of Medical Specialty
For his part, his other lawyer, Diego Olmedo, said: "Dias is not a doctor, nurse, or radiologist; he is a psychologist. He was hired to prevent Maradona from drinking alcohol or using drugs, and Maradona died without alcohol or drugs in his blood," citing toxicology results conducted after death. He added that the death was "the result of medical issues beyond the scope of Carlos Dias's expertise. He is a psychologist," and stressed that "by virtue of his specialty and role, he had no possibility of preventing the death in any way."
During his defense of psychiatrist Kossachov, 41, whom the prosecution sought to sentence to eight years in prison, lawyer Vadim Mishanchuk also emphasized the nature of his client's specialization. He confirmed that her role was "clear from the start when she said: 'I am Maradona's psychiatrist,'" and that her duties were limited to supervising drug treatment related to that specialty. In contrast, he leveled sharp accusations against the private medical services company "Swiss Medical," whose representative, Nancy Forlini, is also a defendant in the case and was sought for a ten-year prison sentence by the prosecution.
He added: "No one informed her about heart palpitations or high blood pressure; no one told her anything. She gathered information she could access and received only what others wanted to tell her." Defense arguments are expected to continue until Thursday, with the verdict postponed to a later date.
The 1986 World Cup star died at the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, due to heart failure and acute pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs) at a rented home in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, two weeks after undergoing brain surgery to remove a blood clot. His medical team is accused of providing clearly inadequate healthcare in the period preceding his death. The medical team faces the charge of "conditional intent," a legal term meaning the person was aware their actions could cause harm but persisted anyway.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
Comments (0)