Kentucky man sues Netflix for 'misusing' his picture in true crime documentary; details inside

In a fresh round of legal troubles for Netflix, a man from the US state of Kentucky has sued the streaming giant over ‘inappropriately’ using his picture in a true crime documentary that falsely portrayed him as a “killer.” A picture of the man named Taylor Hazlewood has been apparently used in the 2023 documentary ‘The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker’ alongside the picture of a convicted murderer with audio that calls him a “stone-cold killer.” In his complaint, Taylor also alleged his pictures were taken from his Instagram handle without his consent and without him having any connection to the film. Taylor has filed the case against Netflix in a Texas state court, accusing the OTT giant of “defamation and misappropriation of likeness or right of publicity” further seeking over $1 million and punitive damages. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor in his complaint added that he had no idea that the documentary will use the pictures from his personal Instagram account. It was only when his close friends and family members brought the thing to his notice. “I suffered reputational harm, stress, and anxiety because of the constant fear of losing future employment or relationships because of people believing he is dangerous or untrustworthy,” he added in the complaint. About the controversial Netflix documentary Earlier, in January this year, Netflix released ‘The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker’, a true crime documentary that revolves around Caleb Lawrence McGillvary who rose to fame after he ‘bludgeoned’ an assailant with a hatchet. The show explores the bloody aftermath following the incident. It also includes interviews with police officers involved in the case, McGillvary’s family members, and law enforcement figures, among others. Speaking about the aforementioned controversy, the film toward the end uses a picture of Taylor Hazlewood along with a narration that describes the murder of McGillvary’s victim and further indicates the picture with, “Is this a guardian angel or a stone-cold killer?”