A murder occurred. A suspect was arrested. A trial was held. A conviction was handed down. Then it was time to make a ruling on sentencing. Now the victim speaks from beyond the grave. How? An AI generated video created by a murder victim’s family allowed him to essentially make his own victim impact statement at trial. Let’s chat.
What case was associated with this AI statement?
In 2021 Christoper Pelkey was fatally shot by Gabriel Horcasitas during a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. A first trial for this case ended in a mistrial. The second trial was held recently, and Horcasitas was found guilty.
Why was this video made?
After the ruling, victims are allowed to make a statement to influence the judge during sentencing. Christopher’s family and a friend were responsible for generating the video. The family had a fair bit of experience with technology and AI, and they wanted Christopher to essentially speak for himself.
Was this considered AI generated testimony?
No, it was the victim’s impact statement that happens after a ruling is given. The victim impact statement may affect sentencing, but not the verdict.
How will affect trials going forward?
The law is often dependent on precedents, or actions that have happened before. The fact that this AI generated statement was allowed will certainly open the door for more AI generated impact statements. However, the sentence is already under appeal, as the defense is questioning to how the judge utilized the AI video when determining sentencing.
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