An Argentine court declared a mistrial on Thursday in the case of seven health professionals accused of negligence in the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona. The judges ruled that there would be a new trial, but did not specify when.
Background
The decision follows the resignation of Judge Julieta Makintach, one of the three judges overseeing the trial. Her resignation came after criticism regarding her participation in a documentary series about the case. Prosecutors requested her recusal, leading to her stepping down from the criminal proceeding.
Allegations Against Judge Makintach
- Involvement in Documentary: Prosecutors alleged that Makintach allowed camera crews into private areas, including hearing rooms and testimony sessions, while serving as president judge at Criminal Court No. 2 since January 2021.
- Payment for Participation: It was claimed that she was paid $50 per hour by producers working on "Divine Justice," a reality TV-style series filming at the Buenos Aires courthouse.
Makintach denied any involvement with the production company behind "Divine Justice," stating that she only received payment for work done outside courtroom hours during pandemic lockdowns. She was unaware if others were also compensated and acknowledged knowing producer Daniel Hadida through mutual friends prior to her judicial career.
Evidence Presented
Prosecutor Marcelo Martinez presented evidence against Makintach, including:
- A trailer for the documentary that intercuts archival footage of Maradona scoring iconic goals with behind-the-scenes shots.
- Testimonies from five individuals involved in making "Divine Justice," including director Pablo Vengas, who testified under oath earlier this month.
Vengas stated he had never met Judge Makintach before being introduced via video conference by Hadida last year. Hadida testified that he was unsure if anyone else knew the payment details for participants, stating they were paid $100 per day plus expenses, though he did not specify what those expenses entailed.
Conclusion
The other two judges voted unanimously with Savarino that there should be no retrial due to potential irreparable damage, but acknowledged the necessity of a new trial given the circumstances surrounding the investigation between May 24 and June 7.
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
