Man Sues News Outlets for Wrongly Using His Photo in Story That ‘Damaged’ His Life
A man is suing two news outlets for allegedly publishing his photo erroneously alongside a story about a man with a similar name — a mix-up that he says had serious consequences on his life.
According to a defamation lawsuit filed last month, a photo of Chad William Lawlor was mistakenly published alongside news stories about a different man Chad David Lawlor.
In March 2024, Chad David Lawlor of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to four federal counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The lawsuit, which was obtained by Boston.com, alleges that when the New Hampshire Union Leader and WMUR — two local news outlets owned by publisher Hearst — reported on the sentencing, they used a photo of Chad William Lawlor instead. The Union Leader allegedly published the incorrect picture in the print edition and on its website while WMUR supposedly used the same picture of Chad William Lawlor.
The lawsuit states that Chad William Lawlor, who is also from New Hampshire, experienced significant emotional and psychological distress as a result of this photo error.
According to court documents obtained by Boston.com, Chad William Lawlor has a criminal record that includes nonviolent offenses such as burglary. He is currently incarcerated at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men for a 2014 conviction and other earlier charges, according to the state Department of Corrections. However, his attorney says he was not in prison at the time the news stories were published in March 2024.
The complaint claims that after the articles ran, people in the community began recognizing Chad William Lawlor and reacting to him in public. He was allegedly harassed by neighbors who believed he was a convicted sex offender. The complaint also says his landlord chose not to renew his lease because of the confusion, and he has struggled to find stable housing or employment since.
The lawsuit further alleges that his sister has cut off contact with him “despite his pleas of innocence,” and he was threatened by a biker gang in a parking lot. His car was also vandalized, according to the complaint, due to the mistaken belief that he was the person convicted in the sex abuse case.
“Our system of justice is designed to punish people for the crimes they commit, not the ones they don’t,” Tim Kenlan, Chad W. Lawlor’s lawyer, tells Boston.com. “More than Mr. Lawlor’s reputation was damaged. The consequences of the defamation cascaded throughout his relationships and livelihood.”
The case comes after Kim Kardashian was sued for posting a photo of the wrong man in an appeal to her 370 million Instagram followers last year.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
