Gene Hackman judge rules on death scene images after family argues ‘grotesque' pictures could cause trauma

Fox News

31-03-2025

Photos and video showing Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa Hackman's deceased bodies along with audio discussing the topic will not be released to the public, a judge ruled Monday.
However, the judge ruled the final autopsy report, toxicology report and depictions of the deceased animal could be released to the public. Lawyers for Hackman's estate argued the dissemination of images, video or audio showing or discussing the deceased would cause an "unnecessary media frenzy" during Monday's court hearing.
"What we're really talking of, Judge, is my client's father, who lay dead for some amount of time, and all of the grotesque pictures that go along with that and the conversations of deputies discussing that," a lawyer for Hackman's family said. "There is no limit to the trauma that could cause my clients for years to come with that information, as the media publicist already testified to, would likely show up on the internet or in podcasts etc."
Hackman's estate called the actor's longtime publicist to testify to the couple's level of privacy maintained during his lifetime. Susan Madore revealed Hackman would only allow two hours of press time for each movie he made. The Oscar-winning actor would often decline image and likeness requests for "commercial usages" and "news programming."
"I think that for anything like that to be out in the public, any entity can use that however they want in perpetuity," Madore said during the hearing. "He would have never agreed in his life for that to happen. So, why would you think he would agree to it in his death?"
However, lawyers for the county unsuccessfully argued that the right to privacy does not continue once someone dies. "It does not carry on."
"It seems to be clear from the law that, in fact, the right of privacy, does not simply succeed in death, and therefore the estate does not have the right to bring a claim for loss of privacy after the death has occurred," Greg Williams said in closing arguments.
The court granted a temporary block of the release on March 17, pending the March 31 hearing on the matter. Hackman's estate specifically wanted any records regarding showing the couple's bodies or the interior of their home, along with autopsy reports or death investigation reports, to be blocked.
New Mexico's open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of dead bodies. Experts also say some medical information is not considered public record under the state Inspection of Public Records Act.
Hackman's estate representative, Julia Peters, emphasized the possibly shocking nature of photographs and video in the investigation and the potential for their dissemination by the media in a bid to block them from being released.
While Hackman's estate moved to have an array of records blocked, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department did release bodycam footage connected to the case. The footage included an interview with Betsy's hairstylist in which he claimed she was fearful of being followed in the weeks leading up to her death.
"She mentioned to me that there was a man that had parked outside of their gate and followed them," her hairstylist, a man named Christopher, told law enforcement. "On two separate occasions. One occasion is when they went to White Rock. They went and had lunch there and the guy followed them from parked [outside of their gated community], followed them all the way to White Rock."
WATCH: BODYCAM FOOTAGE REVEALS GENE HACKMAN'S WIFE FEARED BEING FOLLOWED
The man approached Hackman and his wife with a folder full of photos of the actor.
On a separate occasion, the same man followed them to a different location. He had offered the Hackmans a bottle of wine, Betsy told Christopher. They declined to accept the gift.
WATCH: LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDS TO GENE HACKMAN'S HOME
Authorities responded to a 911 call on Feb. 26 and discovered Hackman and Betsy deceased inside their Santa Fe home.
Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya initially told Fox News Digital that authorities believed Hackman and Betsy died in a similar timeframe. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department later confirmed during a press conference that Betsy likely died on or around Feb. 11. After reviewing additional phone records, authorities noted that Betsy had used the device to make calls on Feb. 12. Hackman most likely died about one week later.
Betsy died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, New Mexico officials told reporters. Meanwhile, Hackman died from hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributing factor. It's plausible that the actor was home alone with Betsy's deceased body before he passed.
Feb. 18 was the last day activity was recorded on Hackman's pacemaker. The device noted "abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation." Hackman's autopsy showed "severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks, and severe changes of the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure."
"Examination of the brain showed advanced Alzheimer's disease as well as blood vessel changes in the brain secondary to chronic high blood pressure," according to Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell.