A forensic expert testified on Thursday in the trial of seven medical professionals accused of homicide in connection with the death of football legend Diego Maradona. Dr. Mauricio Casinelli, who participated in Maradona’s autopsy, revealed that the state of the late footballer’s body suggested he must have died “in agony.”
Casinelli explained that water had been accumulating in Maradona’s lungs for “at least 10 days” prior to his death, caused by heart failure and liver cirrhosis. He stated that Maradona’s doctors and nurses should have noticed these signs, adding that his heart weighed nearly twice as much as a normal heart, which must have caused him significant pain for at least 12 hours before he died.
Maradona, 60, passed away on November 25, 2020, while recovering at home after undergoing brain surgery to treat a blood clot. He had a long history of battling cocaine and alcohol addiction. His death was attributed to heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs — two weeks after his surgery.
Casinelli further testified that the house where Maradona died was not suitable for home hospitalization. The seven medical professionals on trial face charges of “homicide with possible intent” for allegedly continuing a course of treatment despite being aware it could lead to the patient’s death. If convicted, they face prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years.
Prosecutors claim that Maradona was effectively abandoned to suffer for a “prolonged, agonizing period” before his death. The trial is expected to last until July, with nearly 120 witnesses set to testify.
