(C) Il Messaggero

BUENOS AIRES — The judicial drama surrounding the death of football legend Diego Maradona has taken a new turn, as the judge presiding over the highly sensitive malpractice and homicide trial has been unanimously removed from her post (impeached) for secretly participating in the filming of a documentary about the case.

Julieta MacIntosh, formerly a judge of the San Isidro Criminal Court in Buenos Aires, was unanimously dismissed by the 11-member Impeachment Jury (Secretaria Enjuiciamiento), the body empowered to determine the removal of judges and prosecutors in Argentina. The decision was reported by local newspapers Clarin and La Nación on November 18 (local time).

The controversy centers on MacIntosh's involvement in a documentary titled 'Justicia divina' (Divine Justice), which takes the entire Maradona death trial as its subject matter. Her secret participation came to light in June when a one-minute teaser trailer for the content was released.

In the clip, Judge MacIntosh was seen moving like an actress through what appeared to be the courthouse interior, looking directly at the camera from behind her office desk. The footage employed dramatic close-up shots, treating her as a central character. Interspersed with these scenes were quickly edited segments related to the Maradona death investigation. Furthermore, the documentary crew claimed they had received permission from MacIntosh to record the proceedings from the public gallery—a move undertaken without the consent of the prosecution or the victims' representatives.

Maradona passed away in November 2020 at the age of 60 due to acute pulmonary edema and chronic heart failure while recovering at home from brain surgery. Argentine prosecutors concluded that the medical team treating Maradona failed to take proper action. Seven individuals were subsequently charged with "simple homicide with eventual intent" (misión de dolo eventual), with the trial commencing in March of this year.

The revelation of the presiding judge's deep involvement and starring role in a documentary about the ongoing case provoked immediate and strong condemnation from the prosecution, the defendants, and Maradona's family. They uniformly accused Judge MacIntosh of violating professional dignity and compromising the fairness of the legal process. The outcry quickly escalated into calls for her impeachment.

In response to the growing controversy, the Buenos Aires judiciary immediately suspended the trial proceedings, which had been underway for over two months, and removed MacIntosh from her duties.

The Impeachment Jury's final decision, which essentially asserted that MacIntosh "contaminated a trial that should have been fair with personal interests," carries significant weight. As a result, the former judge is now barred from holding any position or office within the judiciary in the future. La Nación further reported that the decision paves the way for the initiation of criminal proceedings against MacIntosh by the prosecutor’s office, covering charges such as the unauthorized disclosure of public secrets and abuse of authority.

Meanwhile, the Maradona death trial, now assigned to a newly constituted court, is scheduled to recommence on March 17 of next year.