On Monday, a judge issued a ruling prohibiting the public dissemination of photographs, videos, and audio recordings depicting the deceased bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa Hackman, along with any discussions pertaining to the subject. Conversely, the judge did authorize the release of the final autopsy report, toxicology report, and depictions of the deceased animal to the general public.
During Monday's court hearing, lawyers representing Hackman's estate argued passionately that the dissemination of images, videos, or audio related to the deceased couple could spark an "unnecessary media frenzy." A lawyer for Hackman's family emotionally pleaded, "Your Honor, we are discussing the remains of my client's father, who lay deceased for an indeterminate period, accompanied by graphic images and deputy conversations discussing the scene. The potential trauma this information could inflict upon my clients, as evidenced by the media's propensity to disseminate such content online and in podcasts, knows no bounds."
Hackman's estate called upon the actor's long-time publicist, Susan Madore, to testify to the couple's stringent privacy measures maintained throughout Hackman's lifetime. Madore revealed that Hackman would only allocate two hours of press time for each of his films and frequently declined requests for his image or likeness for "commercial usages" and "news programming." She emphasized, "For such intimate details to be exposed to the public domain, where any entity can exploit them indefinitely, is unthinkable. Hackman would have vehemently opposed such a violation of his privacy in life, so why should we assume he would condone it in death?"
However, county lawyers unsuccessfully contended that the right to privacy terminates upon one's demise, asserting, "It does not extend beyond the grave." Greg Williams concluded in his arguments, "The law is unmistakably clear that the right of privacy does not persist after death, hence the estate lacks the standing to claim a loss of privacy post-mortem."
On March 17, the court granted a temporary injunction pending the March 31 hearing on the matter. Hackman's estate specifically sought to bar any records showing the couple's bodies, the interior of their home, as well as autopsy and death investigation reports.
New Mexico's open records law safeguards the public from accessing sensitive images, including those depicting deceased bodies. Experts also affirm that certain medical information falls outside the purview of public record under the state's Inspection of Public Records Act.
Julia Peters, representing Hackman's estate, highlighted the potentially jolting nature of the photographs and videos from the investigation and the media's propensity to disseminate them, reinforcing their bid to prevent their release.
Despite Hackman's estate's efforts to block various records, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department released bodycam footage pertaining to the case. The footage featured an interview with Betsy's hairstylist, Christopher, who recounted her fears of being followed in the weeks preceding her death. He revealed, "She told me about a man who parked outside their gate and followed them on two separate occasions. Once, when they went to White Rock for lunch, he followed them from their gated community all the way there. Another time, he approached them with a folder full of Hackman's photos and offered them a bottle of wine, which they politely declined."
Authorities responded to a 911 call on February 26 and discovered Hackman and Betsy deceased in their Santa Fe home. Initially, Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya told Fox News Digital that the authorities believed both died around the same time. However, during a subsequent press conference, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department clarified that Betsy likely passed away on or around February 11, noting her phone records indicated she made calls on February 12. Hackman, meanwhile, most likely succumbed about a week later.
New Mexico officials attributed Betsy's death to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, while Hackman died from hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributing factor. It is plausible that Hackman was alone at home with Betsy's deceased body before he passed away. February 18 marked the last day of recorded activity on Hackman's pacemaker, which noted an "abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation." His autopsy revealed "severe heart disease, including multiple heart surgeries, evidence of prior heart attacks, and severe kidney changes due to chronic high blood pressure." The examination of his brain showed advanced Alzheimer's disease and blood vessel changes secondary to chronic hypertension.
