Left to right: Aubrey Saget, Bob Saget, Kelly Rizzo, Lara Saget.
A Florida judge has permanently blocked the release of photos, videos, and other investigatory records related to the investigation of comedian and actor Bob Saget’s death.
Saget’s family initiated a lawsuit in Florida state court against county authorities, seeking to enjoin the release of official records from the investigation that followed Saget’s sudden death in a Florida hotel room.
Saget, 65, was found dead in his hotel room on Jan. 9. The Full House star’s death was ruled an accident by investigators, and his family said it had been caused by head trauma. Dr. Joshua Stephany, chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola counties, said in a written report, “It is most probable that the decedent suffered an unwitnessed fall backwards and struck the posterior aspect of his head.” Saget was also reportedly COVID-positive at the time of his death.
Saget’s widow and three daughters succeeded in obtaining a temporary injunction barring the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office from providing any videos, photos, or other records that may have been created or obtained during the investigation surrounding the actor’s death. That temporary court order, issued in mid-February, was upgraded to a permanent one on Monday.
Florida Circuit Court Judge Vincent S. Chiu found that whatever public interest exists in disclosure of the records of Saget’s death is outweighed by the family’s privacy rights. Chiu’s order blocked 90 photographs, four video recordings from investigating officers’ body cameras, and autopsy information from being released to the public.
Brian Bieber, the attorney representing the Saget family, provided the following statement to Law&Crime in an email Monday:
The entire Saget family is grateful that the Judge granted their request for an injunction to preserve Bob’s dignity, as well as their privacy rights, especially after suffering this unexpected and tragic loss. We are pleased this issue has been resolved, and the healing process can continue to move forward. All of the prayers and well wishes continuously extended to the family are beyond appreciated.
Counsel for the defendant agencies did not immediately respond to request for comment.
This is a developing story.