Gene Hackman’s family have been granted a ban on the release of documents related to their deaths. (Image: Getty)
A New Mexico court has approved a temporary hold on the release of documents related to the death of and his wife Betsy Arakawa containing sensitive footage and images. The temporary restraining order, which was granted on Monday (March 17), was submitted by Julia Peters, a representative for the couple’s estate. It was intended to protect the family’s right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
Under the order, documents containing images or videos of the body of Hackman or Arakawa, the interior of their home, or their deceased animals cannot be released. Under the hold, the Office of the Medical Investigator is also unable to disclose post-mortem examination and death investigation reports.
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Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa died last month. (Image: Getty)
The US state’s open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of people who are deceased.
However, the bulk of death investigations by law enforcement and post-mortem examination reports by medical investigators are still typically considered public records under state law to ensure government transparency and accountability.
A hearing to argue the merits of the order has been scheduled for later this month.
It comes after Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead along with one of their dogs at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26. Authorities said Hackman died of heart disease and complications from a week after Arakawa died of rare rat-borne disease, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Gene Hackman is believed to have died one week after his wife. (Image: Getty)
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has now found that to call a medical centre in Santa Fe. This is one day after authorities said they believed she had died.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said three calls were made to Cloudberry Health, and one from the medical centre to Arakawa’s phone was made that afternoon and appeared as a missed call on the device.
Last week, it was revealed that the actor left his entire estate to his wife, leaving his children out of his will. Arakawa’s own will left her assets to Hackman and stated that if they died within 90 days of each other, her estate would be put in a trust and later donated to charity.
Hackman’s children – Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58 – his £62 million ($80 million) fortune because of intestate succession laws. California attorney Tre Lovell said that the Oscar winner’s will, last updated in 2005, named Arakawa as the sole beneficiary. Therefore, the 95-year-old’s estate could pass down to his children because no other beneficiary was named.
However, the children would have to prove that the will is invalid due to Betsy’s earlier death. According to US reports, Gene’s son Christopher has hired a top lawyer who specialises in will disputes.