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After Bob Saget's family filed a lawsuit to prevent the release of sensitive information regarding the actor-comedian's death, a judge has temporarily blocked the release of records.
As per People magazine, Saget's wife Kelly Rizzo and his three daughters -- Aubrey, Lara, and Jennifer -- filed a lawsuit against Orange County Sheriff John Mina and the District Nine Medical Examiner's Office over a month ago. The lawsuit is in an effort to prevent the release of documents tied to Saget's death. In court documents obtained by People magazine on Wednesday, Circuit Court Judge Vincent Chiu granted the emergency motion for a temporary injunction to Saget's family. This move will legally prohibit the case's defendants from releasing further materials tied to Saget's death records, including photographs and audio recordings. "A temporary mandatory injunction is properly issued where the Plaintiffs demonstrate that: (1) they will suffer irreparable harm; (2) they have a clear legal right or interest in the subject matter of the suit; (3) they have has no adequate remedy at law, and (4) that the public interest will not be disserved by entry of the temporary injunction," the document read. "The Court finds Plaintiffs have made a preliminary showing by verified pleading of all four elements entitling them to a temporary injunction in this matter," the document continued. The court believes that the Saget family has "a clear legal right or interest in the Protected Records as the surviving spouse and children." The injunction, while temporary, will come into effect immediately after the Saget family files a bond with the court's clerk for USD 1,000. "This temporary injunction shall remain in effect until further Order by this Court," the document concluded. Brian Bieber, an attorney representing the Saget family, addressed the court's decision in a statement obtained by People magazine. "Earlier this morning, the Judge granted our request for a temporary injunction to protect the Saget family's privacy, and preclude the disclosure of any photographs or videos of Mr Saget made by the authorities during their investigation," said Bieber. "We are pleased that the Court focused on the human elements here," he continued. He concluded, "The Judge was gracious and sensitive to Mr Saget's family members, who were in attendance with me via video conference." Saget died on January 9 at the age of 65. At the time, his body was found in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Florida, one day after he performed a stand-up set nearby. He was laid to rest five days later, reported People magazine. Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany, MD later revealed in a toxicology analysis that Saget's death was "the result of blunt head trauma," ruling the manner of his passing an accident not tied to any illicit drugs or toxins. Additionally, the comedian's autopsy indicated he had severe fractures to the back of his head and around his eyes when he died. Saget was also positive for COVID-19 and taking clonazepam, a prescription drug that helps treat seizures, panic disorder and anxiety. He had aortic atherosclerosis (plaque build-up inside the wall of the aorta), cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) and coronary artery atherosclerosis (damage or disease in the heart's major blood vessels). (ANI)
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