The trial in the death case of Argentine and global football legend Diego Maradona witnessed tense atmospheres on Tuesday punctuated by insults, threats, and even a physical altercation between two lawyers, leading to the suspension of the session.

The incident occurred between Fernando Burlando, the lawyer for Maradona’s two daughters, and the lawyer for the main defendant in the case, Leopoldo Luque, the neurosurgeon who oversaw the football legend’s recovery in 2020 after the surgery that ended in his death.

Burlando appeared upset about the testimony of one witness, a former security guard for Maradona, and asked the court to warn him against giving false testimony.

The witness was speaking about Luque’s role within the medical team surrounding the late star.

Luque’s lawyer, Francisco Oneto, replied, considering that this implied a veiled threat, to which Burlando said sharply: ‘The threat is directed at your client,’ referring to a prison sentence ranging from eight to 25 years that the defendants face.

Tension quickly escalated between the two lawyers, who approached each other inside the courtroom, prompting the judges to order a suspension of the session.

But the verbal sparring resumed with greater intensity outside the room, where the two lawyers stood face to face and exchanged insults ranging from ‘You miserable wretch!’, ‘You contemptible clown!’ and ‘Here I am, what are you going to do?’

All of this took place surrounded by a cordon of police officers, other lawyers, and journalists.

Physical contact between them was only prevented after the intervention of a prosecutor and a police officer, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The session resumed after 40 minutes, but not before the presiding judge issued a new warning to the lawyers, saying: ‘Next time an assault occurs, you will both be expelled from the courtroom.’

The trial over Maradona’s death enters its fourth month in the city of San Isidro, north of Buenos Aires, with two sessions per week.

Seven healthcare workers are being tried on charges of possible negligence that may have contributed to the death of the Argentine football legend.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020 at the age of 60 from a cardiorespiratory arrest accompanied by pulmonary edema, while he was alone in his bed in a rented house in the city of Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, designated for his recovery.

According to testimony from forensic doctors, he suffered for several hours before his death.

All defendants deny any responsibility for Maradona’s death, and most of them maintain a defense based on the limits of their professional competence and separate roles, asserting that there is no direct link between them and the clinical causes of death.

The trial is expected to continue until August.