Photos and videos of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's dead bodies will not be released to the public.
A judge ruled on Monday that while the autopsies of the couple, along with the toxicology report, could be made public, footage and pictures would cause an "unnecessary media frenzy."
Gene's family sought to block the release of the star's death records, and they had been on temporary hold while the judge made a decision.
Their deaths
Their demand came after Gene and his wife Betsy Arakawa were discovered dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 26.
Gene died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer's disease one week after his wife, 65, passed away. Her body was partially mummified and they were not discovered for weeks.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyProtecting his privacy
Gene was notoriously private and his longtime publicist, Susan Madore said on the topic of sensitive records from the deaths being released: "I think that for anything like that to be out in the public, any entity can use that however they want in perpetuity.
"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?"
© Getty ImagesGraphic photos
A lawyer for Gene's family added: "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.
"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."
© Animal Rescue Inc/ FacebookBetsy died after contracting hantavirus, a deadly disease spread by rodents. She was found on the bathroom floor, while Gene had fallen in the mudroom and never regained consciousness.
His family
Betsy had no children, but Gene is survived by his three children, Christopher, 65, Leslie, 58, and Elizabeth, 62, from his first marriage with Faye Maltese.
Gene Hackman: 5 surprising facts
© Getty Images1. Joining the Marines
At 16, Gene left home to join the Marines, just three years after his father had abandoned his family.
2. 'Least likely to succeed'
Gene studied acting at Pasadena Theatre's acting school, where he was classmates and friends with Dustin Hoffman. Both were dubbed "least likely to succeed" because they didn’t fit the typical young leading man stereotype. Of course, they both proved everyone wrong.
3. His big break came later
Gene Hackman's career proves that big breaks can come later in life. At 37, he landed his first big role in the classic Bonnie and Clyde, which earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. However, it wasn’t until he was 41 that he landed his first leading role.
4. Retiring from acting
By the early 2000s, Gene had hundreds of film credits to his name but the stress of his career was taking a toll on his health. He told Empire that part of the reason for his retirement was the physical and emotional strain attendant on acting.
5. He didn’t watch his hit films
The French Connection, one of his most famous films, earned him an Oscar. However, Gene admitted in a 2021 interview with The New York Post that he only watched the film once during the initial screening. He didn’t enjoy watching himself on screen and didn’t grasp the lasting legacy of his films.
The trio live in California, and while they have not claimed Gene's body yet, it is not known if they were bequeathed anything in their father's will.
His $80 million fortune was left to Betsy, although the fact that her death preceded his likely complicated the will process.
© Sygma via Getty ImagesGene and Betsy's remains are being held in the Office of the Medical Examiner of New Mexico, according to TMZ.
