The family of late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has called for lengthy prison sentences for members of his medical team over their alleged responsibility for his death in 2020.
Lawyers representing two of his daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, urged a court to sentence six of the seven defendants to up to 15 years in prison, accusing them of murder.
“They killed a mythological hero,” Fernando Burlando, the lawyer representing the two daughters, said, accusing the defendants of showing “brutal indifference” to Maradona’s fate.
Maradona, who captained Argentina to victory at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, died aged 60 on November 25, 2020, from heart failure and acute pulmonary oedema. His death occurred two weeks after he underwent surgery for a blood clot in his brain while recovering at a private residence.
Seven medical professionals have been on trial since April over allegations that they provided grossly inadequate care during his recovery. The defendants have denied the charges.
However, Maradona’s family members are divided over the sentences they want the court to impose. Lawyers representing his three sisters, Rita, Claudia and Ana, requested prison terms of up to 10 years for five of the accused.
Their lawyer, Pablo Jurado, called for medical coordinator Nancy Forlini to receive the harshest punishment.
On Tuesday, a lawyer representing Maradona’s youngest son, 13-year-old Diego Fernando, called for personal physician Leopoldo Luque and Forlini to each be sentenced to 16 years in prison.
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State prosecutors began their closing arguments last week, seeking convictions for six of the seven defendants and prison sentences ranging from four to 12 years. They also called for Luque to receive the longest sentence.
Closing arguments are expected to continue until the end of October, after which the court in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires, is expected to reserve its judgment for a later date.
