Court approves hold on release of records relating to death of Gene Hackman

A New Mexico court has approved a temporary hold on the release of documents related to the death of US actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa containing sensitive footage and images.

The temporary restraining order, which was granted on Monday, was submitted by Julia Peters, a representative for the couple’s estate, to protect the family’s right to privacy in grief under the 14th amendment of the US constitution.

Under the order, documents containing images or videos of the body of Hackman or Arakawa, the interior of their home, or their deceased animals, cannot be released.

Post-mortem examination and death investigation reports are also not able to be disclosed by the Office Of The Medical Investigator under the hold.

Actor Gene Hackman won two Oscars during his career (PA). PA Media

It comes after the pair were found dead along with one of their dogs at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26.

A pathologist said Hackman died, aged 95, of heart disease a week after Arakawa died, aged 65, of a rare infectious disease.

A hearing to argue the merits of the order has been scheduled for later this month.

The US state’s open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of people who are deceased.

But the bulk of death investigations by law enforcement and post-mortem examination reports by medical investigators are still typically considered public records under state law to ensure government transparency and accountability.

Hackman won two Oscars during a storied career in films including The French Connection, Hoosiers and Superman from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.