Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Kentucky Man Sues Netflix For $1 Million After They Used His Image In Their True-Crime Doc

Instagram photo of Taylor Hazlewood; Netflix logo
@thazyy12/Instagram; Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Taylor Hazlewood, a respiratory therapist, is suing Netlfix for $1 million in damages after using his photo without permission in their true-crime documentary "The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker."

A man from Kentucky is suing Netflix after they used his Instagram photo without his permission in a documentary about a convicted hatchet wielding murderer.

The photo is of respiratory therapist Taylor Hazlewood—who works in a neonatal ICU—who was alerted about the image usage by several of his friends who watched the documentary. Hazelwood had posted a photo of himself holding a friend's hatchet to Instagram with a caption referencing the 1986 Newbery Honor-winning young adult novel Hatchet by author Gary Paulsen.


Hazlewood is suing the streaming platform for $1 million, claiming the documentary The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker featuring his image painted him in a "sinister and defamatory light." The documentary filmmakers appeared to have pulled several images off social media featuring random men with hatchets mixed with photos of the convicted murderer and tweets unrelated to the other men's photos.

You can see one frame featuring Hazelwood's image without his Instagram caption below.

screenshot from The Hatchet-Wielding HitchhikerNetflix

Hazelwood's attorney told Insider:

"Hazelwood had no connection whatsoever to the people or events depicted in the film."
"Despite this, his personal Instagram photograph was included twice within the film, and the second use was included alongside a photograph of [Caleb] McGillvary, after he committed murder, with audio stating that he was either a guardian angel or a 'stone-cold killer.'"

McGillvary is the actual person convicted of first-degree murder.

McGillvary was a hitchhiker who went viral in 2013 after he used a hatchet to stop a man who gave him a ride from injuring a utility worker, making him an internet celebrity.

A few months later, however, he was the suspect in the murder of New Jersey lawyer Joseph Galfy, according to The Washington Post. Hazlewood's attorney stated her client "never sought or did anything to attract attention for the McGillvary story."

In fact, he found out about his image in the documentary when one of his friends messaged him:

"Wtf? Explain please."

Another message read:

"So something not so chill happens later in the documentary."
"Your picture shows up again after he's charged with murder and it's just bad vibes."

Those learning of the lawsuit took to social media expressing their thoughts, most agreeing it is definitely a bizarre case.





Many felt Hazlewood has a solid case.




Hazelwood's lawyer stated:

"Mr. Hazlewood's original Instagram post is tagged with [Paulsen's] book and author, so there should have been no confusion by any company doing its homework when sourcing content."

Netflix has yet to respond to Hazelwood's lawsuit.

In a bizarre addition to the story, actual hatchet-wielding subject McGillvary is also suing Netflix claiming they are "ruthlessly exploiting a hero's life story for money."

More from Trending

Carrie Coon
HBO

'White Lotus' Star Carrie Coon Reveals Why Scene With Her Character's Nonbinary Child Was Cut

The third season of HBO's The White Lotus hasn't shied away from depicting our dark moment in American politics, but there was one story element that proved a bridge too far, it seems.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, actor Carrie Coon said her character Laurie was supposed to have a nonbinary child with they/them pronouns. But the brief scene between her and her child was cut following Trump's election.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vivian Wilson; Elon Musk
@vivllainous/Instagram, Scott Olson/Getty Images

Vivian Wilson Claims Elon Musk's Former Liberal Views Were Just A 'Marketing Scheme'

Elon Musk's estranged trans daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson set the record straight about the tech billionaire's supposed liberal beginnings, alleging that his persona was merely a ruse and part of a “marketing scheme.”

Wilson, who legally changed her name and identity in 2022 when she was 18, interviewed with YouTuber and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who asked her what the "transition was like for your dad to go from a liberal darling…"

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Slammed After Saying He's 'Not Joking' About Running For A Third Term

Republican President Donald Trump was ridiculed for insisting he was "not joking" about running for a third presidential term, which would violate the Constitution under the 22nd Amendment, stating a President cannot be elected beyond a second term.

In an NBC interview Sunday morning, Trump maintained his allies were pushing for a third term for the Trump administration.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
Fox News

Trump Ripped For Bonkers Answer After Being Asked To Define What A 'Woman' Is

President Donald Trump was called out after he was asked by a conservative reporter at the end of Women's History Month to give his definition of a "woman"—only to show that he doesn't even know his own talking points let alone those of the wider GOP.

This past Friday, Trump attended the swearing-in ceremony for interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, where he also took questions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Karoline Leavitt
C-SPAN2

Karoline Leavitt Gives Mind-Boggling Update On Signal Group Chat Scandal—And Critics Are Furious

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was called out after she dismissed reporters' questions amid revelations that Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was invited into a Signal chat with high-level Trump administration officials, particularly Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussing military strategy surrounding war strikes in Yemen.

Lawmakers from both parties have increased their calls demanding an investigation into the Signal scandal. The latest push came from Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, who on Monday sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard calling for an independent probe.

Keep ReadingShow less