
Jon Batiste's wife is in remission from leukaemia.
The 'Freedom' singer's spouse, Suleika Jaouad – who was first diagnosed with the disease in 2010 before relapsing in December 2021 and again last summer – is currently "doing great" and the couple are feeling "very inspired" by the positive turn in the writer's health battle.
Jon told E! News: "She's doing great. Now she has this beautiful remission. That's been the case for the last few months and we're just hoping that it remains that way. She's been taking everything in stride and gracefully dealing with all of the things that are going on.
"She's able to continue to paint, continue to write. All this is happening after this crazy recurrence, and it's just the best-case scenario. She's feeling healthy. The treatment is working and we're very inspired."
But the 38-year-old singer and his spouse – who married in secret after her second diagnosis – are aware things won't always be plain sailing with her health.
He said: "It's just a process. It goes through these different moments of treatments that are indefinite for her, it won't stop. It will continue until there's some innovation. We know that.
"Sometimes the cancer will be gone, other times, we'll have to deal with what comes when it comes back and that's just a part of our life. I support her in that."
And Jon believes the 36-year-old author's struggles have made them stronger as a couple.
He said: "It tests you. We all have these things that challenge us to build our character and strengthen our relationships.
"It's actually strengthened our relationship and connection because we already were close."
In December, Suleika reflected on the ups and downs they have experienced and expressed her gratitude for the "joys" that have brightened the days during the "hardest" times.
Sharing a selection of photos from 2014, she wrote on Instagram: "When you learn for the third time you have cancer, it’s easy to feel hopeless.
"But my photos showed me that even in the hardest moments, there were so many joys. That life is not a monolith. That our forever work is to learn to hold the brutal and beautiful in the same palm.”
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Calvin Harris has bought his favourite pub.
The 'Feel So Close' hitmaker – who is married to DJ Vick Hope – used to drink at the Coach + Horses inn in Dumfries, Scotland, before he found fame and now the producer, who no longer drinks alcohol, and his best friend Mark Irving have splashed out on the bar, with his pal taking over as landlord.
A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: “Calvin and Mark have gone into business together and created a company called To The Nines. They’ve now taken over the Coach Horses and Mark is in place as the landlord.
“It’s a gorgeous pub with a great atmosphere. It’s a great grass-roots music venue too, which is something they’re both really proud of.
“Calvin used to drink there before he got famous and there is a signed poster for his first album on the wall.
“It’s a hard time for pubs but the Coach + Horses Inn is thriving.”
The old landlord, John Owens, previously spoke of how Calvin – whose real name is Adam Wiles – would still go the pub when he visited his family.
He said: “Calvin, or Adam, is a pleasant chap, always has been. We’re all proud of him. When he’s home he’ll pop in if he gets the chance.”
The 41-year-old star also owns a farm in Ibiza and a townhouse in north London.
A year ago, firefighters were called to his home in the US after a huge blaze broke out.
A major fire erupted on one of the upper levels of the DJ's three-story mansion in Beverly Hills, California and emergency services rushed to the scene with TMZ reporting fire trucks ambulances and helicopters were all spotted at the house.
The website states firefighters had to cut through the roof of the building's second floor to get to the fire, which is said to have broken out close to the mansion's cinema room and they spent almost an hour working to get the blaze under control.
The fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical problem and caused around £100,000 in damage but no one was hurt.
Calvin – who is said to have been renting the house for the last few years – was not at home at the time of the incident.
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Kesha felt "pretty isolated" when she was questioning her sexuality.
The 38-year-old singer – who has dated both men and women – has always wanted her concerts to be somewhere that people felt free to be themselves because of her own experiences witnessing a "lack of inclusion and a lack of acceptance" at a young age.
She told People magazine: "I remember saying when I began, if I have to tour the world, I'm going to make sure that my shows are a place where people can come be in their sexuality, because growing up as a woman or a girl, questioning my sexuality, I didn't find community in that. I felt pretty isolated."
The 'Rainbow' singer found herself looking to suppress parts of herself to be accepted but soon realised that wasn't the right thing to do.
She said: "I decided that actually I might not be the best, I might not be for everybody, but I'm going to be the f****** best at being myself.
"And I think that was a beautiful lesson."
And Kesha argued sexuality shouldn't be "shrouded in shame".
She said: "Sexuality should not be something that's shrouded in shame. I am a really big proponent of just be who you are and give yourself the permission to be proud and authentic in that."
The 'TikTok' hitmaker insisted authenticity is much more "attractive" than perfection.
She said: "The most attractive vibration a human being can give off is not perfection, it's authenticity. Sometimes you look at pictures that have been photoshopped, and everything is so symmetrical and so airbrushed, and it just looks weird.
"That's because perfection is actually quite unnatural."
Kesha recently declared she is on the hunt for a "sugar daddy" to take care of her.
She told 'On the Red Carpet': "I have explored non-monogamy. I've been in love with many, many men and many, many women, and currently where I'm at is I am looking for a sugar daddy.
"I love being able to just be open and honest about it, because I'm f—ing into somebody taking care of me, putting me on a pedestal, taking me on their yacht and flying me on their plane. I'm just into it, and I will not feel shame about that.
"I've dated a lot of very cool, very broke hipsters with very bad attitudes, and so I'm trying to swing the pendulum 180 degrees and go in the entirely opposite direction.
"I want someone that goes to an office building because they own the office building."
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Gwyneth Paltrow thinks the #MeToo movement has "changed" Hollywood.
The 52-year-old star has recently returned to her acting roots in order to shoot 'Marty Supreme', a new sports drama movie, and Gwyneth believes that the #MeToo movement has helped to change the culture of Hollywood.
Speaking to Vanity Fair magazine, Gwyneth explained: "There are no meetings set up in hotel rooms, from what I understand, or if there are, it’s multiple people in the room. That bubble has definitely burst.
"I’m sure people still abuse power in Hollywood because they do everywhere, but it has definitely changed."
Gwyneth filmed some sex scenes with Timothee Chalamet for their new movie. But the Oscar-winning star opted against having an intimacy coordinator, because she feared that it could stifle her performance.
The actress shared: "We said, ‘I think we’re good. You can step a little bit back'.
"I don’t know how it is for kids who are starting out, but … if someone is like, ‘Okay, and then he’s going to put his hand here’?I would feel, as an artist, very stifled by that."
Gwyneth previously admitted that she achieved most of her acting ambitions before she turned 30.
The film star has largely focused her attention on her lifestyle brand in recent years, and Gwyneth confessed that she "doesn’t love acting that much".
The movie star – who is the daughter of filmmaker Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner – told SiriusXM: "I think that when you hit the bullseye when you’re 26 years old, and you’re a metrics-driven person – who, frankly, doesn’t love acting that much, as it turns out … I sort of felt like, well, now, who am I supposed to be? What am I driving towards?"
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Ryan Reynolds has rubbished Justin Baldoni's defamation lawsuit.
The 48-year-old actor has filed a motion to dismiss Baldoni's lawsuit, insisting that the 'It Ends With Us' director's allegations have no merit.
Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, Reynolds' attorneys, said in a statement: "The entirety of Mr. Baldoni’s case appears to be based on Mr. Reynolds allegedly privately calling Mr. Baldoni a ‘predator,’ but here’s the problem – that is not defamation unless they can show that Mr. Reynolds did not believe that statement to be true.
"The complaint doesn’t allege that. In fact, it suggests the opposite: that Mr. Reynolds genuinely believes Mr. Baldoni is a predator."
Reynolds's legal team insist that the actor is entitled to "express his opinion of Mr. Baldoni".
They said: "Mr. Reynolds has a First Amendment right to express his opinion of Mr. Baldoni, which should be comforting to a group of people who have repeatedly called Ms. Lively and Mr. Reynolds ‘bullies’ and other names over the past year."
What's more, the director has been accused of trying to shame Reynolds "for being the man Mr. Baldoni has built his brand pretending to be".
A spokesperson for the actor said: "The claims filed against Mr. Reynolds are simply a list of grievances attempting to shame him for being the man Mr. Baldoni has built his brand pretending to be – a man who is ‘confident enough to listen’ to the woman in his life."
Blake Lively, Reynolds's wife, previously launched a lawsuit against her 'It Ends With Us' director and co-star, accusing him of harassing her while making the romantic drama film.
The actress accused Baldoni of causing her "severe emotional distress".
The Hollywood star – who played Baldoni's on-screen love interest in 'It Ends with Us' – previously told the New York Times newspaper: "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."
Baldoni later denied the allegations, with his lawyer describing the claims as "categorically false".
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Justin Baldoni's attorney insisted they may not be open to a settlement with Blake Lively.
The actress, 36, and 41-year-old filmmaker have been embroiled in a bitter labyrinthine legal dispute for months after she accused him of harassment while they made domestic abuse movie ‘It Ends With Us’.
Appearing on Matthew Belloni's podcast 'The Town', Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman was asked "what it would require for this to go away", as he referred to the "potential for the circus and the damage to both sides".
But Freedman argued: "You keep referring to it as a circus and I get it. You see a lot of cases.
"You see a lot of things, but the reality is this is not a circus when you go through an experience like this.
"I’ve represented a lot of people in the worst moments of their career, the worst moments of their life. Justin has been destroyed by this."
Freedman suggested "the only way" to really attempt to prove his client's innocence could be in court.
He continued: "In this day and age, the only way that you can truly get back is to prove your innocence and that’s what we’re actively working to [do].
"That may only be able to be done in a courtroom."
Justin, 41, completed filming on 'It Ends With Us' in early 2024 and started a press tour in August, and after fans noted Blake did not participate in interviews with him or attend the film’s premiere.
Blake then filed a sexual harassment complaint against Justin – alleging that he and his agents conducted a smear campaign against her.
Her lawsuit against him is set to go to trial in March 2026, following her initial filing in New York Federal Court.
Blake – who played Justin's on-screen love interest in the movie – previously told the New York Times newspaper: "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."
Justin – who also directed the 2024 romantic drama film – has denied the allegations, with his lawyer describing the claims as "categorically false".
Bryan, who is acting as a lawyer for the actor and his Wayfarer Studios production company, told Variety: "These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media."
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Drake's record label are seeking to have his lawsuit against them dismissed, arguing he "encouraged" his feud with Kendrick Lamar.
The Canadian rapper sued Universal Music Group (UMG) for releasing and promoting Kendrick's diss track 'Not Like Us' but in their response to the defamation case, they argued the 38-year-old star "lost a rap battle that he provoked" and "sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds."
In documents obtained by People magazine, UMG claimed that although 'Not Like Us' features hyperbolic insults, including referring to Drake and his friends as "certified paedophiles", the 'God's Plan' hitmaker had used their platform to "promote tracks levelling similarly incendiary attacks" on his rival.
The filing added: “Drake encouraged the feud.
"For example, when he felt that Lamar was taking too long to respond, Drake released a second recording in which he goaded Lamar to continue the public rap battle. Lamar did just that, and collectively Drake and Lamar released a total of nine tracks taking aim at each other."
The motion notes Drake was "pleased" to see UMG promote tracks that accused Kendrick of engaging in domestic abuse and "that one of Lamar’s business partners and managers is the true father of Lamar’s son."
The filing noted: "But now, after losing the rap battle, Drake claims that ‘Not Like Us’ is defamatory. It is not."
The response also criticised Drake's claim 'Not Like Us' constitutes "second-degree harassment" and promoting the song goes against general business law in New York.
The document stated: "Less than three years ago, Drake himself signed a public petition criticising 'the trend of prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them' by treating rap lyrics as literal fact. As Drake recognised, when it comes to rap, '[t]he final work is a product of the artist’s vision and imagination'.
"Drake was right then and is wrong now. The complaint’s unjustified claims against UMG are no more than Drake’s attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar. The court should grant UMG’s motion and dismiss the Complaint with prejudice."
Drake's attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, accused UMG of trying to use a "desperate ploy" to "avoid accountability.
He told People magazine: “UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence.
"This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists.”
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Taylor was the big winner at the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2025.
The 35-year-old pop megastar was honoured with nine prizes at the ceremony in Los Angeles' Dolby Theater on Monday night, with her haul including Artist of the Year.
Swift didn’t attend the event, but she pre-recorded an acceptance speech for the Tour of the Century prize for ‘The Eras Tour’, in which she marked the two-year anniversary of the mammoth jaunt starting in Glendale, Arizona, on March 17, 2023.
Swift admitted the global trek – which broke the record as the highest-grossing tour of all time and spanned 149 shows in 51 cities – was “the most challenging thing” she’s ever done.
She began: "I really can’t tell you how much this means to me because I accept this on behalf of all my tour mates, my band, everyone who toured with us, our crew."
Swift continued: "People often say that sometimes the greatest challenges in life end up being something that you are so proud of or end up being the most gratifying feeling in the end if you can rise to the occasion. And this tour was absolutely the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life."
The 'Fortnight' hitmaker insisted it wouldn’t have been possible for her to "take on those challenges" without the support of her Swifties.
She said: "It’s a three-and-a-half-hour show, more shows than I’ve ever done on a tour and it really was the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done. I think about that tour constantly. I’m so proud of it.
"And the only reason I was able to take on those challenges, among others, the ambition of the production, the length of the show, the amount of shows in all the different countries we played in, that’s all because of the fans."
Thanking her fans, she concluded: "You had the passion and the generosity to care about travelling to see us on tour in all these places all over the world.
"It blows my mind.
"I’m never gonna stop being grateful for it. And I appreciate it more than you know."
In the fan-voted categories, Swift won Favourite Surprise Guest for bringing out her Kansas City Chiefs player boyfriend Travis Kelce at Wembley Stadium.
The sportsman was dressed in a tuxedo as part of a sketch in between songs that saw Swift pretend to swoon before he lifted her to a couch.
The 'Shake It Off’ hitmaker also won Favourite Tour Tradition for her surprise songs.
Meanwhile, SZA made history by becoming the first artist to win the R'n'B Artist of the Year prize three times, having previously collected the accolade in 2023 and 2024.
Billie Eilish's 'Hit Me Hard And Soft' was crowned Album of the Year.
Lady Gaga received the Innovator Award and Mariah Carey was presented with the Icon Award.
Lastly, Nelly received the iHeartRadio Landmark Award.
LL Cool J hosted proceedings and there were performances from the likes of Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, GloRilla, Gracie Abrams, Kenny Chesney, Muni Long, Nelly and more.
An abridged list of the winners:
Artist of the Year
Taylor Swift
Album of the Year
Hit Me Hard And Soft — Billie Eilish
Album of the Year (Pop)
The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift
Album of the Year (Hip-Hop)
We Don’t Trust You — Future and Metro Boomin
Album of the Year (Country)
F-1 Trillion — Post Malone
Album of the Year (Alternative)
Clancy — Twenty One Pilots
Album of the Year (Rock)
From Zero — Linkin Park
Album of the Year (R'n'B)
Coming Home — Usher
Album of the Year (Dance)
Brat — Charli XCX
Album of the Year (Latin/Urban Album of the year)
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran — Shakira
Song of the Year
Beautiful Things- Benson Boone
Best Collaboration
Die With a Smile – Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
Producer of the Year
Julian Bunetta
Songwriter of the Year
Amy Allen
Pop Song of the Year
“Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
Pop Artist of the Year
Sabrina Carpenter
Best New Artist (Pop)
Teddy Swims
Country Song of the Year
“I Had Some Help”- Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen
Country Artist of the Year
Jelly Roll
Best New Artist (Country)
Shaboozey
Hip-Hop Song of the Year
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
GloRilla
Best New Artist (Hip-Hop)
BossMan Dlow
R'n'B Song of the Year
“Made for Me” – Muni Long
R'n'B Artist of the Year
SZA
Alternative Song of the Year
"Too Sweet" – Hozier
Alternative Artist of the Year
Green Day
Best New Artist (Alt and Rock)
Fontaines D.C.
Rock Song of the Year
“A Symptom of Being Human” – Shinedown
Rock Artist of the Year
Shinedown
Dance Song of the Year
“360” – Charli xcx
Dance Artist of the Year
David Guetta
K-pop Artist of the Year
ATEEZ
K-pop Song of the Year
"Who" – Jimin
Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Gracie Abrams
World Artist of the Year
Tyla
Favorite Surprise Guest
Taylor Swift bringing out Travis Kelce
Favorite Tour Tradition
Taylor Swift – Surprise songs
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Karlie Kloss is pregnant.
The 33-year-old model – who already has Levi, four, and 19-month-old Elijah with husband Joshua Kushner – took to Instagram to show off some photos of her growing baby bump, as well as pictures of her sons.
She captioned the post: "Three’s a party (sic)"
And Karlie admitted she is "incredibly grateful" to be expecting again.
She told Vogue.com: “Family is everything to me. Josh and I are incredibly grateful for this blessing.”
Karlie previously admitted that motherhood has changed her entire outlook on life.
The model described motherhood as a "profound experience" and confessed that she had "no idea" what to expect before she became a mom for the first time.
The catwalk star – who has been married to Joshua since 2018 – said on the 'Today' show: "I just had this moment of like, ‘Wow, every woman who has a child, every parent goes through this'. It's just the most profound experience that I had no idea until having a kid."
Karlie also revealed that motherhood has made her much more "efficient" and time-conscious, as her children are now her number one priority in life.
The model explained that she's "actually on time everywhere now".
She shared: "Priorities change. Everything changes. I think the last few years have changed us as well. I have become, first of all, so much more efficient with my time. I'm actually on time everywhere now."
The Estee Lauder spokesmodel shared her second pregnancy news at the 2023 Met Gala just weeks before she was due to give birth and previously admitted the reveal of her bump was "really special".
She said: “I felt kind of vulnerable. I was eight months pregnant here and I had somehow kept my pregnancy a secret.
“To actually see my friends and share this exciting, good news in person – and be able to see their reactions – was really special.”
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Youngbloods frontman Jesse Colin Young has died at the age of 83.
The music star and social activist – whose real name was Perry Miller – passed away on Sunday (16.03.25) surrounded by family at home in South Carolina.
A statement from his publicity team read: "It is with deep sadness that we announce music legend Jesse Colin Young, who left a unique mark on the intersecting worlds of folk, blues, jazz, country, and rock and roll, died in his home in Aiken, South Carolina yesterday afternoon."
No cause of death was given.
The singer found fame as the lead vocalist and bassist of the '60s folk-rock group Youngbloods, who are best known for 1967 cover of 'Get Together', which became a symbol of peace and unity.
The song was originally penned by Chet Powers (also known as Dino Valenti) in the early ‘60s.
Upon its release, it failed to set the charts alight and peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.
However, it was re-released two years later and after it featured in a public service announcement promoting brotherhood by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, it made it all the way to No. 5.
Before forming The Youngbloods, Young released solo records, including 1964's 'The Soul of a City Boy' (1964) and 1965's 'Young Blood'.
The group went their separate ways in 1972, however, Young continued to release solo albums.
He was diagnosed with chronic autoimmune condition Lyme Disease in 2012 and subsequently retired from music. However, he began performing again in 2016 with his son Tristan and released the album 'Dreamers' in 2019.
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Nickelback will play their first concert on Vancouver Island in 20 years this summer — one that has the potential to set an attendance record in the region.
The veteran Vancouver group, which is among the bestselling rock acts of all-time, is appearing at the newly named Laketown Amphitheatre in Lake Cowichan on Aug. 9. Nickelback has not performed on Vancouver Island since Aug. 19-20, 2005, when the How You Remind Me and Photograph hitmakers played two shows at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.
At the site near Youbou known as Laketown Ranch Music and Recreation Park, the summer concert will have a capacity of 15,000, according to organizers Wideglide Entertainment, which owns and operates the property. In the event of a sellout, Nickelback would set the record for the largest paid concert attendance in Vancouver Island concert history, breaking the 2018 record of 13,500 attendees set by Eric Church at Sunfest.
Mike Hann of Wideglide Entertainment said the band is aware of the potential for a record-setting performance and is aiming to wow audiences. “The production values Nickelback are bringing to the stage will be more than any other concert ever held at our site. It will be a level up, production-wise.”
The concert, Hann said, is part of a new vision for the venue. The Duncan-based live event company announced in January it was rebranding the 260-acre site and moving in a direction that pairs the annual Sunfest country music festival (which runs July 31-Aug. 3 this year) with larger one-off events. The timing could not have been better for the switch, Hann said. “We’re not reinventing the wheel. There are permanent venues across North American doing the exact same thing. But we are playing to our strengths. This is an example of why we made that change.”
Opening acts for the Nickelback concert on Aug. 9 are the Glorious Sons and Sam Roberts Band, with a kick-off party headlined by Campbell River resident Garret T. Willie on the site’s Flats Stage set for Aug. 8.
Nickelback (originally from tiny Hanna, Alberta) has been maligned for its radio-friendly and ballad-heavy output in recent years, though the band remains a sales and streaming juggernaut, with over 50 million records sold during its career, more than four billion views on YouTube and more than 10 billion streams on platforms such as Spotify, in addition to nominations for six Grammy Award nominations and 40 Juno Awards, of which they’ve won 13.
The band enjoyed a rebirth of sorts with the 2023 documentary, Hate to Love: Nickelback, which appeared to shift the public perception of singer-guitarist Chad Kroeger, drummer Daniel Adair, bassist Mike Kroeger, and guitarist-singer Ryan Peake.
The band cut its teeth in small bars on Vancouver Island starting in 1996, shortly after their formation. A pair of Nickelback concerts at the former Memorial Arena in 2002 were among the last ever at the Victoria venue, prior to its demolition in 2003. The band has not given a local concert since joining the ranks of the top concert draws in North America.
“Nickelback was asking why they hadn’t played the Island is 20 years,” Hann said. “They were expressing a curiosity and desire to get back on the Island, because a big part of their origin story was playing out here.”
Tickets and camping passes go on sale Friday, March 21, at 9 a.m. through laketownamphitheatre.com.
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A New Mexico court granted a temporary restraining order Monday against the release of certain records related to the investigation into the recent deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
The order is in response to a request by Julia Peters, a representative for the couple's estate. She urged in a motion filed last week that the court seal records in the case to protect the family’s right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Peters emphasized the possibly shocking nature of photographs and video in the investigation and potential for their dissemination by media.
A hearing has been scheduled for later this month to argue the merits of the request. For now, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and the state Office of the Medical Investigator cannot release photographs and videos showing the couple’s bodies or the interior of their home, autopsy reports or death investigation reports.
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home in late February. Authorities have confirmed that Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease about a week after hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — a rare, rodent-borne disease — took the life of his wife.
The request to seal the records notes that the couple placed “a significant value on their privacy and took affirmative vigilant steps” to safeguard their privacy over their lifetime, including after they moved to Santa Fe and Hackman retired. The state capital is known as a refuge for celebrities, artists and authors.
“The personal representative seeks to continue to preserve the privacy of the Hackmans following their tragic death and support the family's constitutional right to remembrance and desire to grieve in peace,” the document states.
New Mexico’s open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of people who are deceased. Experts also say that some medical information is not considered public record under the state Inspection of Public Records Act.
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.
Privacy likely will play a role as well as the couple's estate gets settled. According to probate court documents filed earlier this month, Hackman signed an updated will in 2005 leaving his estate to his wife while the will she signed that same year directed her estate to him in the event of her death. With both of them dying, management of the estate is in the hands of Peters, a Santa Fe-based attorney and trust manager.
A request is pending to appoint a trustee who can administer assets in two trusts associated with the estate. Without trust documents being made public, it's unclear who the beneficiaries are and how the assets will be divided.
Attorneys who specialize in estate planning in New Mexico say it's possible more details could come out if there were any legal disputes over the assets. Even then, they said, the parties likely would ask the court to seal the documents to maintain privacy.
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