BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, one of the seven healthcare professionals on trial accused of negligence in the death of soccer great Diego Maradona testified on Thursday that she does not regret the treatment she provided to the former national team captain and blamed the private medical company for the deficiencies in his home care.
Maradona had surgery for a hematoma that formed between his skull and brain and stayed in intensive care at Los Olivos clinic between Nov. 4-11. He then was sent recover to a private home where he died on Nov. 25. 2020 at the age of 60.
“I acted convinced that what I was doing was best for the patient,” said the psychiatrist, the first of the defendants to testify in the courts of San Isidro, a northern suburb of Buenos Aires. “In my role, I did what I could and even more.”
Cosachov was part of Maradona’s medical team during the final stages of his life, along with neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychologist Carlos Díaz. The three are on trial with doctors Nancy Forlini and Pedro Di Spagna; Mariano Perroni, a representative of the company that provided the nursing service; and nurse Ricardo Almirón.
Maradona died in a rented house in Tigre, a northern suburb of Buenos Aires.
Cosachov broke down in tears twice during her testimony, once when the presiding judge asked her what she thought happened to Maradona, to which she responded simply: “I don’t know.”
Three judges will decide whether those charged are guilty of manslaughter. The maximum jail time for those sentenced is 25 years.
According to the prosecution, the accused professionals didn’t provide adequate medical care.
“We were all in agreement for home hospitalization,” the psychiatrist stated, referring to Maradona’s daughters, his sisters, his ex-wife, and the company’s doctors. “Involuntary hospitalization was also considered but the family didn’t want that and home hospitalization was the only option.”
According to testimony of the director of the clinic where Maradona had surgery, the soccer star requested alcohol during the post-operative period, and was difficult to deal with.
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