Gene Hackman's Estate Wins Temporary Order to Seal Video, Photos

In New Mexico Judge is blocking, at Least Temporary, The Release of Any Photos OR Video Showing The Partially Mummified Bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa-Hackman After The Actor and His Wife Were Found Dead in Their Santa Fe Home Last Month.

The New Order from Judge Matthew J. Wilson Lasts Until a Hearing on the Matter Set For March 31 of the Couple's Bodies or the Interior of Their Residence in Santa Fe. It Also Prohibits The Release of Any Autopsy or Death Investigation Reports or Any Bodycam Footage Showing “Any Deceased Animals at the Hackman Residence.”

The Judge Said State and County Officials Shound Styx At The March 31 Hearying in Person IF They Plan to Argue that a permanent Injunction Against Release of the Material “Should Not BESUED.”

Julia Peters, Who Represents The Couple's Estate, is Behind the push to Seal the Records on Privacy Grounds. She Has Cited Hackman's Discreet and “Exemplary Private Life,” His Family's Constitutionally Protected Right to Grieve Privatelo, and the gruesome Nature of the photographs and Body-Cam Footage Recorded When Police Entered The Home.

While New Mexico Law Typically Blocks The Dissemination of Potenzialy Sensitive Images of Citizens' Deaths As Well As Medical Records, The Nature of Arakawa's Death – Her Main Cause of Death Was Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, A Rare Respiratory Usually Transmitted by Mice – Could – Could – Could Potentally present in Public Health Concen and Thus Be Available Under The State's Inspection of Public Records Act.

At A March 7 Press Conference, Officials Said They Believed Arakawa, 65, DIED FIRST, Possibly as Early As Feb. 11, The Last Day She Was Seen Alive. They said hackman, 95, Succumbed to Heart Disease and “Advanced Alzheimer's Disease,” Most Likely Days or Even a Week Later, on Feb. 18. They said hackman was in Such an “Advanced State of Alzheimer's” that it was “quite possible that he was not aware that Was Deceased. “