Article by Viory
Leopoldo Luque, the neurosurgeon on trial over the death of Diego Armando Maradona, gave surprise testimony on Thursday during the second hearing, declaring that he bore no responsibility for the Argentine football icon’s death.
Footage filmed in Buenos Aires shows Luque arriving at court for the hearing, during which he asked for the first time to expand his statement in oral proceedings. His lawyer, Julio Cesar Oneto, said Luque was not responsible for Maradona’s death.
“Surely Luque has many flaws, like everyone. What I can tell you is that from this statement it is clear that he had nothing to do with the death of Diego Armando Maradona,” the lawyer said.
Mario Baudry, the lawyer for Veronica Ojeda and Maradona’s youngest son, said Luque’s testimony exposed a series of contradictions. According to Baudry, the doctor, who admitted recommending home hospitalisation, was listed as responsible on the discharge document, and received payment without directly overseeing the patient.
He also said the neurosurgeon acknowledged being told of the seriousness of Maradona’s condition during his hospitalisation and admitted the medical team had acted in coordination.
“Luque admits, in conversation with Maximiliano, that they were operating as a team and that each person had their role,” he said. “What is now clear is that Luque acknowledged they were all acting together as a team, something that had been denied until now.”
Testimony from the three witnesses was due to be heard at the second hearing, but was suspended after Luque intervened. They included Juan Carlos Pinto, the doctor who signed Maradona’s death certificate, Lucas Farias, the first police officer to enter his home after his death, and Gianinna Maradona, his daughter.
Their evidence is expected to help clarify Maradona’s final days and the circumstances in which he was found dead at his home in Tigre on November 25, 2020. The official cause of death was acute pulmonary oedema secondary to heart failure.
The trial is seeking to reconstruct the actions of the medical team and determine whether Maradona’s death could have been avoided.
Article by Viory
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