Forensic doctor delivers damning testimony in Maradona death trial

Diego Maradona showed several serious warning signs while receiving medical care at home before his death in 2020, but doctors failed to respond to them, a forensic specialist told an Argentine court on Tuesday (August 11).

Carlos Cassinelli, one of the lead forensic experts on the medical board that reviewed Maradona’s condition, testified before the San Isidro court during the ongoing trial over the football legend’s death.

Cassinelli said Maradona had developed swelling in his lower limbs and fingers, breathing difficulties, signs of high blood pressure and an abnormally rapid heartbeat — symptoms he described as potentially life-threatening.

He told the court that despite the swelling caused by fluid retention and the associated risk, none of the treating doctors came to assess Maradona’s condition.

The forensic doctor also said the medical team appeared to have ignored the warning signs because there was no corresponding change in Maradona’s treatment.

Cassinelli further testified that keeping Maradona at home under medical supervision was itself a mistake, suggesting that his deteriorating condition required a different level of care.

Maradona, Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning captain and one of football’s greatest icons, died in November 2020, about two weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He suffered cardiac arrest and acute pulmonary edema — a buildup of fluid in the lungs — before his death.

Seven healthcare workers are currently on trial over allegations of medical negligence in connection with his death. The proceedings began in April and are examining whether the medical team failed to provide adequate treatment as Maradona’s condition deteriorated.

The testimony could prove significant in determining whether the medical staff recognised, or should have recognised, the signs that Maradona was facing a potentially fatal decline.

Source: The Straits Times