Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa autopsy reports put on hold

A New Mexico judge issued a temporary restraining order against the release of certain records, including photographs of the partially mummified bodies of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who were found dead in their New Mexico home last month.

Items prohibited from being released include photographs of Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies and video footage of them and their dead kelpie mix named Zinna, according to the temporary restraining order and order to show cause.

The restraining order issued by State District Judge Matthew Wilson is in response to a request by Julia Peters, a representative for the couple’s estate. In a motion filed last week, she said a preliminary injunction is “necessary to protect” Hackman and Arakawa’s privacy and support the family’s right to grieve as protected by the 14th Amendment.

“ ... Without court intervention certain unwanted photos, videos, and/or lapel videos could be released to the general public that cannot be returned to the private sphere after their disclosure,” the motion states.

At that point, court documents state, “the damage is done.”

A hearing to discuss the request is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. March 31 at the Santa Fe County Courthouse.

On March 7, the Office of the Medical Investigator announced that Hackman, 95, died of complications of severe heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease while Arakawa, 65, died of hantavirus. A few days later, the Associated Press reported that starvation and dehydration likely contributed to the death of their kelpie mix named Zinna.

New Mexico’s open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of people who are dead. Experts also say that some medical information is not considered public record under the state Inspection of Public Records Act, according to the AP.

Still, the bulk of death investigations by law enforcement and autopsy reports by medical investigators are typically considered public records under state law in the spirit of ensuring government transparency and accountability.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.