Bob Saget's family gets win in new suit over death details
Orlando, Florida – Bob Saget's family is going to extra lengths to protect his memory.
The actor, widely known as America's Dad from his role on the beloved early '90s sitcom Full House, died last month in his Orlando hotel room. After an investigation ruled out drugs or foul play, his family revealed last week that he "passed from head trauma."
Now, they are taking things one step further in the midst of their mourning.
Kelly Rizzo, Saget's wife since 2018, and his three daughters Aubrey, Lara, and Jennifer, are joinitly suing authorities in Florida to block the release of additional investigation records into the actor's death, according to court documents acquired by E! News.
They have requested that Orange County Sheriff John Mina and the District Nine Medical Examiner's Office keep materials confidential from media outlets who "have filed or plan to file public records requests."
The lawsuit is to protect the family and the actor's privacy, and was made in order to block the public from seeing "any photographs or videos of Mr. Saget made by the authorities during their investigation," according to Brian Bieber, a lawyer representing the Sagets. He said that while "facts of the investigation should be made public," any autopsy evidence collected "should remain private out of respect for the dignity of Mr. Saget and his family."
The suit argues that making the details public would cause the family "irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish and emotional distress." It asks for a temporary injunction while the court decides whether to keep the information private.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office countered: "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."
Autopsy report points to extreme fall backwards or impact
The 65-year-old had just performed the second show of his 2022 stand-up comedy tour the night before his death on January 9, which his family explained was an accident.
Authorities "concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep," the family said.
An autopsy report released on Friday showed signs of an "unwitnessed fall backwards" that caused several skull fractures, eye socket fractures, and bleeding across both sides of his brain. Experts said the extensive trauma is reminiscent of a fall from a considerable height or large impact and would most likely have caused confusion or unconsciousness, yet officials found no other injuries on Saget’s body.
The comedian has been remembered for the joy he brought to millions, and his final tweet expressed his clear passion for being back on stage.
"I’m happily addicted again," he wrote of his affinity for making fans laugh. Heartfelt tributes to the star have reverberated throughout Hollywood in the weeks since his passing.
Update, February 16, 3:05 PM EST: Judge sides with Saget's family
On Wednesday, a judge temporarily blocked the release of additional documents relating to Saget's death, siding with his family.
Judge Vincent Chiu found that Saget’s wife and daughters have "a clear legal right or interest in the Protected Records as the surviving spouse and children of Mr. Saget."
The injunction will stay in effect until a future court decision is made, according to ABC News.
Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO/MediaPunch & Independent Photo Agency