Labatt Breweries of Canada is demanding the Montreal Gazette remove a photo of Luka Magnotta holding a bottle of Labatt Blue from its website and is threatening legal action.
The Globe and Mail reports that a Gazette story on Magnotta, who was arrested in Berlin Monday in connection with a highly publicized murder investigation, featured the photo in question, which the paper had retrieved from Magnotta’s public Facebook profile.
Labatt lawyers reportedly sent a letter to the Gazette this week threatening legal action “if necessary.”
In the letter, Karyn Sullivan, one of Labatt’s legal representatives, called the image “highly denigrating” to Labatt’s brand, adding “we are disturbed that this image remains on your site despite repeated requests and the many images available of this person.”
The Gazette has said it will not remove the image.
Before his arrest yesterday, Magnotta was sought by Canadian and international authorities in connection to a so-called online “snuff” film and the mailing of a severed human foot to the offices of the Conservative Party. He faces first-degree murder charges upon his extradition to Canada.
Was this the right move for Labatt to make? Is the photo as damaging as they claim? Post your thoughts in our comment section.
