Dallas lawsuit claims Netflix defamed man by using his images in hatchet killer documentary
Netflix is facing a defamation lawsuit in Dallas after a Kentucky man’s photograph was used in the streaming service’s documentary about a hatchet murderer, according to the lawsuit.
Taylor Hazlewood claims in the suit that Netflix used a photo from his personal Instagram page and placed it in the documentary as a narrator talked about a “stone-cold killer.” The image shows Hazlewood holding a hatchet.
The documentary, “The Hatchet Weilding Hitchhiker,” follows the story of Caleb McGillvary, the man who became an internet sensation after a local Fox affiliate in Fresno, California, aired a clip of him talking about how he used a hatchet to kill a man who was attacking a woman in February of 2013.
In May 2013, McGillvary was charged and later convicted of first-degree murder for killing a New Jersey attorney, The documentary says it follows the man’s story from a “happy-go-lucky nomad’s ascent to viral stardom and the steep downward spiral that resulted in his imprisonment.”
One of the men in the documentary pictured holding a hatchet, though, isn’t McGillvary, according to the lawsuit. It’s Hazlewood.
The image from Instagram, included in the lawsuit, shows Hazlewood holding up a hatchet. In a comment, he notes the hatchet is a reference to his favorite childhood book, by Gary Paulsen.
Hazlewood said in the lawsuit the documentary’s use of his image has led friends and family to question him about his involvement with McGillvary. He has no connection to the convicted murderer and is suing for $1 million. He says the documentary has also made him look bad to strangers and potential employers who think he is or is connected to McGillvary.
Text messages from friends and family included in the lawsuit show a reaction of shock and confusion. The text messages include:
“So something not so chill happens later in the documentary. Youre picture shows up again after hes charged with murder and its just bad vibes.”
“They put your picture up with a murderer lol. They even blur some peoples faces in the doc too, wonder why they wouldnt do yours.”
The mother of one of his friends even thought he was connected to the case “or that he was another infamous murder and that was why his picture was used,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit says that “Hazlewood’s reputation has clearly been tarnished” and that people who see the documentary might assume his connection without trying to get the truth.
Hazlewood’s attorney Angela M. Buchanan, who is based in Dallas, said in the lawsuit that the court has jurisdiction because the alleged defamation happened “in all 50 states” because it was done online.
