The high-stakes trial into the death of Argentine football icon Diego Maradona has been thrown into disarray after one of the presiding judges dramatically recused herself amid an escalating ethics scandal.
Judge Julieta Makintach controversially dubbed “the judge of God” — stepped down on Tuesday after revelations surfaced that she was involved in producing a racy docuseries dramatizing the very trial she was overseeing.
Maradona died in November 2020 at age 60, following complications while recovering from brain surgery. Seven members of his medical team face charges of homicide with possible intent, with potential sentences ranging from 8 to 25 years in prison. Prosecutors allege the football legend was subjected to gross medical negligence during his home care.
However, the trial took a sensational turn after it emerged that Makintach had been filming a behind-the-scenes miniseries titled Divine Justice, described as a dramatic reconstruction of Maradona’s final days — with Makintach herself playing a central figure.
Courtroom footage aired Tuesday showed the judge striding through judicial corridors in high heels, while narration detailed Maradona’s tragic decline. According to leaked production notes, the show aimed to explore “painful milestones” in the footballer’s life, framing the judge as a crusader for truth.
The footage, reportedly recorded inside the courtroom without authorization, may have breached judicial protocols and cast serious doubt on Makintach’s impartiality.
The hearing descended into chaos after the trailer was played. Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari accused the judge of prioritizing theatrics over justice, declaring: “You’re acting like a performer, not a magistrate.” Defense attorney Rodolfo Baque erupted in fury, shouting “Trash!” across the courtroom, prompting emotional outbursts from Maradona’s family.
Maradona’s daughter Gianinna and his former partner Verónica Ojeda were seen sobbing uncontrollably. Judge Makintach, visibly shaken, eventually announced her recusal, stating, “I have no choice but to step down.”
The scandal has sparked widespread outrage and calls to annul the current proceedings.
“This trial is now irreversibly tainted,” said Mario Baudry, legal counsel for Ojeda. “The public’s trust has been compromised. It’s best to restart from scratch.”
A decision on whether the trial will proceed, be suspended, or begin anew is expected Thursday.
Maradona, widely regarded as one of football’s greatest-ever players, died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema. His daughter Gianinna has claimed her father was “abandoned” in his final days, kept in “a dark, ugly, and lonely” setting by caregivers more concerned with profit than his well-being.
The collapse of judicial integrity in such a high-profile case has cast a shadow over Argentina’s legal system and frustrated those seeking justice for the beloved football legend.
