Judge removed in Diego Maradona's wrongful death trial

BUENOS AIRES, May 27 (Xinhua) -- One of three judges overseeing the wrongful death trial of the late Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona was forced to recuse herself Tuesday following doubts over her impartiality and professionalism.

Judge Julieta Makintach, who served on the Third Criminal Court of San Isidro, along with her colleagues Maximiliano Savarino and Veronica Di Tommaso, stepped aside, leading to questions about how the trial will proceed.

Makintach had agreed to be interviewed for a documentary about the case and reportedly allowed recording in the courtroom without official authorization and without informing her peers.

The trial, which began on March 11, has held 19 hearings and heard testimony from 44 witnesses, including three daughters of the football player and coach who died on Nov. 25, 2020 at the age of 60.

On Tuesday, Makintach denied any "irregularity," "crime," or "poor performance" and warned that it was all "a massive media campaign to coerce" her and keep her out of the debate.

The trial is likely to be nullified and will have to start from scratch, but that is for judges Savarino and Di Tommaso to decide after a recess scheduled for later in the day (5:00 p.m. local time, 8:00 p.m. GMT).

Both judges have said they had "nothing to do" with the documentary.

The plaintiffs and their legal team requested Makintach's recusal, including attorney Fernando Burlando, who represents daughters Dalma and Gianinna Maradona.

"This is a worldwide disgrace," he lamented, noting that the images from the documentary trailer, shown in court, "are savage."

When the video was shown, Gianinna burst into tears, as did Veronica Ojeda, Maradona's ex-partner and mother of Diego Fernando, his youngest child.

On trial are members of the medical team that was treating the footballer at the time of his death, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque (44), psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov (40), and psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz (33).

Maradona died of cardiac arrest 22 days after undergoing head surgery for a subdural hematoma.

Prosecutors Patricio Ferrari, Cosme Iribarren and Laura Capra have accused the medical team of gross negligence, saying they were "deficient," "reckless" and "indifferent," and "did nothing" to prevent his death. They face sentences of 8 to 25 years in prison. ■