The estate of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, who were found dead at their New Mexico ranch last month, has asked a court to stop sensitive images from the investigation into the couple’s deaths becoming public.
Julia Peters, representing the estate through the Sommer Udall Law Firm, filed a legal petition on Tuesday to prevent the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office and the local medical examiner from releasing documents related to the case, particularly photos and video, such as body-worn camera footage.
“A preliminary injunction is necessary to protect the estates of Mr. Hackman and Ms. Arakawa-Hackman’s right to privacy,” said the document filed at the First Judicial Court in Santa Fe County.
The petition argued that “during their lifetime, the Hackmans placed significant value on their privacy and took affirmative, vigilant steps to safeguard their privacy.” “Accordingly, the Hackmans led an exemplary private life for over 30 years in Santa Fe, New Mexico and did not showcase their lifestyle,” it added.
Authorities announced last week that Hackman was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and died from heart failure seven days after his wife died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a virus found in rodents.
But much remains unexplained about the couple’s last days before maintenance workers arrived at the sprawling Santa Fe home and called authorities on Feb. 26.
Hackman’s pacemaker was last active on Feb. 18, meaning the couple’s bodies were left unattended for some time and may have deteriorated. The high level of media interest in the case was driven not just by public affection for Hackman’s work, but by swirling unanswered questions surrounding the deaths.
Amanda Lavin, legal director at the nonprofit New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, told the Associated Press that blocking the release of case evidence could impact public accountability.
“I do think it does infringe on transparency if the court were to prohibit release of all the investigation records, including the autopsies,” she said. “The whole idea of those records being available is to ensure accountability in the way those investigations are done.”
Lavin added that the involvement of hantavirus, which suggests a problem with rodents at the property, is a public health concern.
