A Kentucky man has filed a $1 million lawsuit against Netflix after the streaming platform reportedly used one of his photos on a true crime documentary.
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Taylor Hazlewood, 27, claims Netflix used his photograph twice in a true crime documentary about a convicted murderer with whom he has no connection. According to the Daily Mail, the documentary ‘The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker’ featured Hazlewood posing with the hatchet in two shots, even though the video is about Caleb ‘Kai’ McGillvary. McGillvary became a viral celebrity after telling a local television station in 2013 that he smashed a man in the head with a hatchet to defend a woman from being attacked. Three months later, he was arrested for killing a New Jersey attorney in California.McGillvary pleaded not guilty, claiming that he had acted in self-defense, but was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison.
The respiratory therapist’s lawsuit claims his image was shown while the narrator asks if he’s a “stone-cold” killer. Netflix is accused of misappropriating his likeness in a ‘pure act of recklessness.’ Additionally, the streaming platform is accused of ruining Hazlewood’s reputation.
“Hazlewood is, of course, beyond angry that Netflix would implicate and connect him to such a salacious and infamous story and individual,”
The lawsuit also states that the photo was taken in June 2019 after he noticed a friend’s hatchet. He held the weapon and took a photo for Instagram, but Hazelwood didn’t think anything of it until three years later when he received text messages from his friends about the documentary.
‘The use causes Hazlewood to constantly fear losing future employment or relationships because people believe he is dangerous or untrustworthy.’
McGillvary is also suing Netflix for $3 million in a separate case that accused the streaming platform of exploiting his life story for money.
This is not the first time Netflix has been sued due to its content or other circumstances.
- In 2011, Netflix was sued by a deaf Massachusetts resident who claimed that the company’s streaming service violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide closed captioning for all of its content. Netflix eventually settled the lawsuit and agreed to provide closed captioning for its streaming content.
- In 2016, 21st Century Fox sued Netflix for allegedly poaching two of its executives who were under contract. Fox claimed that Netflix had induced the executives to breach their contracts and join the streaming giant. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court.
- In 2018, Chooseco, the company that owns the trademark for the “Choose Your Own Adventure” book series, sued Netflix for trademark infringement over its interactive movie “Bandersnatch.” Chooseco claimed that the movie’s use of the phrase “Choose Your Own Adventure” without permission violated its trademark. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court.
- In 2020, a French film union sued Netflix for unfair competition, claiming that the company’s streaming service had an unfair advantage over traditional movie theaters. The lawsuit was dismissed by a French court in 2021.