Diego Maradona endured excruciating pain for days before his death, a forensic expert revealed in court on Thursday, as seven medical professionals face trial for alleged negligence in the football legend’s final moments.
Dr. Mauricio Casinelli, who participated in Maradona’s autopsy, testified that the Argentine icon had fluid accumulating in his lungs for at least 10 days before he died—a condition that should have been detected by his medical team.
“His heart weighed almost twice as much as a normal one. This must have caused him agony for at least 12 hours before his death,” Casinelli told the court.
Maradona passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, while recovering from brain surgery. The trial, which has been described by prosecutors as an exposé of the “horror theater” surrounding his final days, is set to determine whether his medical team’s actions—or inactions—amounted to “homicide with possible intent.”
The football legend, who battled substance abuse for decades, died from heart failure and acute pulmonary edema. Prosecutors argue that the team tasked with his care abandoned him, allowing him to suffer needlessly in an unsuitable home environment.
The seven defendants, including doctors and nurses, face prison terms ranging from eight to 25 years if found guilty. With nearly 120 witnesses expected to testify, the trial is set to run until July, aiming to uncover whether Maradona’s death was preventable—or a tragic case of medical neglect.
