The trial over the death of Argentine football superstar Diego Maradona started on Tuesday at the San Isidro 3rd Criminal Court amid a tense environment that promises to be the hallmark of the court proceedings. 

Things were heated even before the judges convened to begin the trial of the eight people who stand accused of the wrongful death of the star. Maradona’s former partner Verónica Ojeda was an early protagonist, as she was seen shouting and insulting the former star’s psychiatrist, Agustina Cosachov, when they crossed paths in the court. Maradona’s main medical advisor, Leopoldo Luque, had a tense exchange with a journalist during a break, as he argued and pushed the reporter for filming him. 

The charged atmosphere continued once the proceedings began as prosecutor Patricio Ferrari dropped a bomb in his opening statement by showing the judges a picture of the former player’s corpse. 

“Maradona died like this,” he said, holding up the image. “Those who say they didn’t notice what was happening to Diego are lying to your face. It was clear. They’re lying if they tell you they didn’t partake in a murder.”

Ferrari went on to claim that Maradona was not of sound mind when he was submitted to home-based hospital care. He added that the accused placed him in circumstances that increased the risk “of causing death” and argued that their decisions were not the result of a mistake but of an intentional plan.

“On November 25, [the accused] deliberately and cruelly decided he should die,” he said.

In his opening remarks, Fernando Burlando, the plaintiff’s lawyer, also alluded to an “inhumane and effective plan.” He accused the defendants of “willingly” neglecting their duties of care with the intentions of causing Maradona’s death.

“They switched his meds as if they were experimenting on an animal,” he said. “It’s clear Maradona was murdered.”

The defense also had its turn to address the judges. They looked to poke holes in the investigation and questioned the legitimacy of the medical board’s findings.

Maria Digiuni, Luque’s attorney, argued that home-based care was a joint decision between all parties involved. She insisted that the cardiac arrest that resulted in the star’s death came without any warning signs.

Cosachov’s lawyer, Vadim Mischanchuk, also took aim at the investigatory proceedings, saying that it was done “in record time,” but that “quickness doesn’t mean efficacy.”

He argued the medical board’s findings had been questioned by three different expert’s reports and said it was “shameful” that the cause of what led to Maradona’s cardiac arrest is still undetermined.

“Medication was ruled out as a cause for Maradona’s death,” he said. “Therefore, the hypothesis under which [Cosachov] is being trialed has never been proved.”

Maradona’s main medical advisor, Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychologist Carlos Díaz, medical care coordinators Nancy Forlini and Mariano Perroni, designated doctor Pedro Di Spagna, and nurse Ricardo Almirón stand accused of involuntary manslaughter. Another nurse, Dahiana Madrid, faces the same charges but was granted a trial by jury and will have a separate process. There is no date for her court proceedings to begin. 

The trial is set to continue on Thursday, with preliminary proceedings continuing before any witnesses are called to the stands. The whole process is expected to go on until July.