Maradona's ex-bodyguard arrested for alleged lies in testimony at trial of late star's medical team
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A former bodyguard of the late Diego Maradona was arrested for allegedly withholding information and telling lies during his testimony at the trial of the football great's medical team.
Seven healthcare professionals are on trial at an Argentine court accused of negligence in Maradona's death in a house outside Buenos Aires on November 25, 2020.
On Wednesday (Australian time), following a request from the prosecutor’s office, the criminal court in the Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro ordered Julio César Coria to be investigated for false testimony. He was arrested and remained in custody.
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Coria was one of the people who attempted to resuscitate Maradona.
According to the prosecution, the accused professionals didn’t provide adequate medical care.
Coria testified in court that when he entered Maradona’s room, he saw nurse Gisela Madrid and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, both defendants in the case, performing CPR. He added that Cosachov gave Maradona “mouth-to-mouth resuscitation” for a while.
Maradona received the Golden Ball award in Paris after the 1986 World Cup. Getty
The trial prosecutor, Patricio Ferrari, warned the witness of contradictions in his statement.
The prosecution warned Coria that he lied when he denied in court having spoken with another of the defendants, neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque.
“There are countless chats between Luque and Coria, which demonstrate a cordial and almost friendly relationship, and the witness denied having had any conversation,” Ferrari said.
Luque, Maradona’s personal physician for the last four years of his life, performed surgery to remove a blood clot from the football legend's brain just weeks before his death.
The 28-year-old daughter of Maradona, Jana, testified that Luque and Coria suggested “home hospitalisation” when the clinic authorities recommended that Maradona remain hospitalised.
