Diego Maradona manslaughter trial collapses after judge appears in documentary

Updated: 30 May, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Diego Maradona manslaughter trial collapses after judge appears in documentary

Photo: AFP

The high-profile manslaughter trial over the death of football legend Diego Maradona has been annulled after a judge involved in the case was found to have participated in a documentary about the proceedings.

Judge Julieta Makintach stepped down earlier this week after it emerged she had appeared in "Divine Justice", a film about Maradona's death and the court case surrounding it.

The revelation led to the trial being officially declared a mistrial by an Argentine court on Thursday.

Documentary Appearance Causes Collapse

The trial, which began in March and was scheduled to run until July, involved seven medical professionals charged with negligent homicide.

They were accused of failing to provide adequate care to Maradona following his 2020 death, which occurred days after surgery for a brain blood clot.

The controversy erupted when a trailer for the documentary was played in court, prompting one of the defence lawyers, Rodolfo Baque, to shout "trash" in response to Judge Makintach's participation.

Following the court's decision, no new trial date has been set, and new judges have yet to be appointed.

Background

Maradona died on 25 November 2020, aged 60, from a heart attack at his home in Tigre, Argentina, whilst recovering from brain surgery.

An initial investigation suggested serious medical failings contributed to his death, triggering widespread public outrage and calls for accountability.

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