Maradona’s death trial verdict set for Dec 22

The verdict in the trial surrounding the 2020 death of Argentine football icon Diego Maradona is scheduled to be announced on December 22, according to the court on Thursday, following six months of proceedings. Seven healthcare professionals faced charges of negligence in Maradona's demise, and their trial concluded with brief remarks from Maradona's daughter and some of the defendants.

Dalma Maradona, the star's daughter, expressed her hope that her father would receive the justice he deserved, emphasizing that like any other individual, he should have been treated fairly.

Leopoldo Luque, Maradona's primary doctor and the primary defendant in the case, stated, "I am innocent." The trial centered on Maradona, who passed away at the age of 60 due to heart failure accompanied by pulmonary edema. He was discovered lifeless in his bed on November 25, 2020, in a residence in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, which had been rented for his recovery period following minor neurosurgery.

The incident triggered widespread mourning in Argentina during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prosecutors sought prison terms ranging from four to twelve years for six of the seven defendants, with the most severe sentence - twelve years - requested for Luque.

During closing arguments on Wednesday, Luque's defense team rejected the prosecution's claim that Maradona's death was foreseeable, labeling their client a "scapegoat" in the case.