Gene Hackman’s estate asks to block death investigation records

Gene Hackman’s estate’s representative has reportedly demanded that he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa’s death investigation records be blocked.

This would prevent the public release of investigative and autopsy reports, including photographs and body-cam footage from the police.

It was confirmed by authorities last week that Hackman passed away due to heart disease at the age of 95, as well as complications from Alzheimer’s. Meanwhile his wife, Arakawa, passed away at 65 due to a rare rodent borne virus called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Although his death likely took place on February 18, their bodies were not discovered until February 26 when maintenance and security workers showed up at their home and then alerted the authorities.

Julia Peters, the estate representative, insisted that the records be kept private to protect the family’s right to grieve under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Emphasizing the couple’s private life, it was emphasized that they “lived an exemplary private life for over thirty years in Santa Fe, New Mexico and did not showcase their lifestyle.”

However, the legal director at the nonprofit New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, Amanda Lavin stated, “I do think it does infringe on transparency if the court were to prohibit release of all the investigation records, including the autopsies. The whole idea of those records being available is to ensure accountability in the way those investigations are done. There is also a public health concern given that hantavirus was involved.”

She went on to claim that the claim for blocking the reports was unusual. 

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