The estate of Gene Hackman has petitioned a New Mexico court to block the release of autopsy and investigative records related to the recent deaths of the actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
The request seeks to prevent the publication of photography and police body-camera footage after the couple's partially mummified bodies were discovered in their Santa Fe home on 26 February.
Authorities last week confirmed that Hackman, 95, died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer's, likely on 18 February, days after his 65-year-old wife succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-borne disease.
Julia Peters, representing the estate, argued that releasing the records would violate the family's right to privacy under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, citing the potentially distressing nature of the images and their possible dissemination by the media.
New Mexico's open records law restricts access to sensitive images, including depictions of the deceased, but law enforcement death investigations and autopsy reports are typically public to ensure government transparency.
Amanda Lavin, legal director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said withholding the records could limit accountability, especially given the involvement of hantavirus.
Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, was known for films such as The French Connection and Superman. He and Arakawa, a former concert pianist, lived a private life in Santa Fe for over 30 years.
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