In May 2025, an AI-generated video of road rage victim Christopher Pelkey was played in court before his killer was sentenced. The judge praised the AI recreation as “genuine” before sentencing Gabriel Horcasitas to 10½ years in prison. More than a year later, an Arizona appeals court ruled the AI video was “not reliable” and made the sentencing “fundamentally unfair.”

Dead Man ‘Speaks’ in Court Through AI Recreation

  • ‘Leigh 🏳️‍⚧️@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 day ago

    It was so BIZARRE that a judge not only allowed a blatantly fictional video in court, but then described it as “genuine”. Granted, not as part of the trial itself thank goodness… but courts are arguably the place where facts matter the very most. Good on the appeals court for correcting this affront to justice. Not only did allowing the made-up video bring the lower court into disrepute, but now it’s going to put the victim’s family and close friends through the wringer again during resentencing.