Gene Hackman’s estate is trying to block the release of autopsy reports, photos, and police body-camera footage related to the discovery of Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies in their New Mexico home.
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Authorities revealed last week that Hackman passed away at the age of 95 due to heart disease, compounded by complications from Alzheimer’s. His death came just a week after his 65-year-old wife tragically succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted by rodents.
Hackman’s pacemaker last recorded activity on February 18, showing an abnormal heart rhythm that is believed to have occurred on the day he died. The bodies of the couple were not discovered until February 26, when maintenance and security staff visited their Santa Fe home and alerted authorities. The case now poses a challenging investigation for law enforcement and medical experts.
Gene Hackman’s Estate Pointed Out How the Actor and His Wife Lived a Quiet Life in Sante Fe
According to the Associated Press, Julia Peters, representing the estate of Hackman and Arakawa, appealed to a state district court in Santa Fe to seal records related to the case. She cited the family’s right to privacy during their time of grief, protected under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Peters emphasized the potentially disturbing nature of the photographs and videos connected to the investigation and raised concerns about their possible dissemination by the media.
The request, filed on March 11th, emphasized the couple’s quiet life in Santa Fe after Hackman’s retirement. The request noted that Hackman and Arakawa “lived an exemplary private life for over thirty years in Santa Fe, New Mexico and did not showcase their lifestyle.”
Per the AP, New Mexico’s open records law restricts public access to sensitive materials, including images of deceased individuals, according to Amanda Lavin, legal director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. Additionally, certain medical information is excluded from public records under the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act.
“I do think it does infringe on transparency if the court were to prohibit release of all the investigation records, including the autopsies,” Lavin explained. “The whole idea of those records being available is to ensure accountability in the way those investigations are done.”
“There is also a public health concern given that hantavirus was involved,” Lavin added.
She also described the preemptive attempt to block the release of government records on constitutional grounds as highly uncommon.