The irony in a streaming service that’s garnered a reputation for delivering a constant string of smash hit murder mysteries, serial killer thrillers, and true crime documentaries being sued twice in the space of less than a month for implying someone to be a murderer sounds like something completely made up, but Netflix has found itself in hot water all over again.
It was only a few weeks back that Francisco Ferreras launched a defamation suit against the company after widely popular dramatization No Limit – which was based on the story and tragic death of Ferreras’ wife Audrey Mestre – implied that he deliberately conspired to murder her, but lessons clearly haven’t been learned.
Much like any true crime doc, The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker made a splash on Netflix’s viewership rankings when it first premiered back in January, but respiratory therapist Taylor Hazlewood is now seeking $1 million in damages after claiming than one of his Instagram photos was used without his consent to imply that he was some kind of dangerous criminal.
The photo in question appears alongside audio stating the phrase “stone-cold killer,” while accompanying text states that “you can never trust anyone,” so it’s easy to see why Hazlewood is attempting to take the platform to task. Even though it appears he has no connection to subject Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, being associated without approval has “caused him reputational harm, stress, anxiety and anguish” per the filing, which is fair.
Maybe Netflix should crack down on its research and due diligence, because being sued twice in a matter of weeks for insinuations of murder isn’t a good look.
