The family of the late actor Bob Saget filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the release of particular documents related to his cause of death.
The suit was filed by Saget’s wife, Kelly Rizzo, and daughters — Aubrey, Lara and Jennifer — to request that Orange County Sheriff John Mina and the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office do not disclose certain materials related to his death, including photographs, video recordings, audio and autopsy information, according to court documents obtained by USA Today.
“Upon information and belief, some of the Records graphically depict Mr. Saget, his likeness and features, or parts of him, and were made by Defendants during Defendants’ investigations,” the lawsuit states, according to the outlet. The suit also says the family will “suffer irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress” if the records become public, the outlet reported.
Rizzo and her daughters are seeking a “temporary and permanent injunction” to bar both the county sheriff and medical examiner from disclosing information to anyone outside of the immediate family, the outlet reported.
The family’s attorney, Brian Bieber, told Fox News that he filed the injunction on behalf of the family to protect their right to privacy.
“The facts of the investigation should be made public, but these materials should remain private out of respect for the dignity of Mr. Saget and his family,” Bieber said. “It’s very simple — from a human and legal standpoint — the Saget family’s privacy rights outweigh any public interest in disclosure of this sensitive information.”
The suit alleges that media outlets have requested or plan to file public records requests for the documents, NBC News reported. The suit said the media has no “legitimate” reasoning to disclose the information as it will not serve the general public. (RELATED: Bob Saget’s Daughter Breaks Silence Following His Death With Touching Post)
Family of Bob Saget asks judge not to allow the release of records related to his death. The lawsuit says “plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress” if more details come out. @fox35orlando https://t.co/JaGv9q0DpG
— Amy Kaufeldt FOX 35 (@Fox35Amy) February 16, 2022
“While we are sensitive to the family’s concerns about the right to privacy, that must be balanced with our commitment to transparency, compliance with the law, and the public’s right to know,” the sheriff’s office office told USA Today.
Saget was pronounced dead Jan. 9 after Florida authorities found him lying unresponsive in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced his death, adding that there were “no signs of foul play or drug use.”
The Orange County chief medical examiner announced Feb. 9 that the “Full House” actor died from a blunt force trauma to the head likely due to an unwitnessed fall. Authorities believe Saget, who had an obvious bruise on the back of his head, did not realize the severity of his injury and went to sleep.