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Pretrial Hearings Begin in Soccer Legend Maradona's Death

Reuters

   BUENOS AIRES - An Argentine prosecutor began hearing evidence on Monday
   involving seven people accused of contributing to the death of soccer
   player Diego Maradona.

   Maradona, the revered former Boca Juniors and Napoli star whowas
   addicted toalcohol and drugsfor many years, died Nov. 25, 2020,from
   heart failure atage60 after undergoing brain surgery earlier that
   month.

   A medical board formally appointed to investigate Maradona's death
   concluded that several members of the star's medical team acted in an
   "inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner" andthathe was not
   properly monitored before he died.

   Monday's pretrial hearing had been delayed by an increase in
   coronavirus infections in Argentina.

   It began with questions to the nurse who, according to his own witness
   statement, was the last person to see Maradona alive.

   Questions will be put in the coming days to Maradona's doctor,
   psychologist, neurosurgeon and personal physician, among others.

   When the medical board's report was presented to prosecutors in May, it
   accused the defendants of carrying out a plan with a "criminal purpose"
   and as part of a deficient care system around Maradona that contributed
   to his death.

   If found guilty, all seven could face between eight and 25 years in
   prison.

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