114. Argentinian judge dismissed; similar action needed in India
An Argentinian judge was dismissed after she caused a mistrial in the negligence case against Diego Maradona’s medical team because of her involvement in a related documentary.
A panel of judges, lawyers, and provincial legislators removed Julieta Makintach, 48, from her position and barred her from holding any future judicial roles.
Maradona passed away in November 2020 at age 60 while recovering from brain surgery. His seven-member medical team faces trial over allegations of gross negligence during his home recovery.
Maradona died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema two weeks after going under the knife.
He was found dead in his bed by a day nurse.
Maradona’s medical team is on trial over the conditions of his convalescence at a private home.
Prosecutors have described the football icon’s care in his last days as grossly negligent.
The case so far has focused on the decision by Maradona’s doctors to allow him to recuperate at home with minimal supervision and medical equipment, instead of a medical facility.
Makintach was one of three judges in the now-annulled trial that followed Maradona’s death while recovering after decades battling cocaine and alcohol addictions.
She recused herself after it was revealed she had been interviewed for a miniseries about the case, which could have violated multiple ethics rules.
Makintach claimed she did not participate in or approve any filming for a documentary about the case, yet footage shown in Argentinian media revealed her being interviewed by a film crew.
Prosecutors further claim that the judge permitted the film crew to enter the courthouse without authorization on a Sunday, just two days before the trial started.
Prosecutors state that the footage was recorded secretly, without the awareness of the other judges, Maradona’s family, or the defendants.
According to prosecutors, the medical attention Maradona received during his home care was “reckless, deficient” and “unprecedented”.
After Makintach’s involvement in the documentary series was revealed, prosecutors, defence attorneys and members of Maradona’s family called for the trial to be annulled. The case had already gone through 21 sessions since it began in March.
After Makintach’s departure, the two remaining judges decided to temporarily suspend the trial until tomorrow.
Prosecutor Ferrari accused Makintach of behaving “like an actress and not a judge”. He said the miniseries would feature the judge as the main protagonist across its six episodes.
I am waiting for a day when an Indian judge gets the same treatment.