Murder Victim Testifies from the Grave: AI Used in Groundbreaking Court Case

In a landmark legal case, the use of AI technology allowed the testimony of a murder victim, Chris Pelkey, to be heard posthumously. Pelkey's sister, Stacey Wales, worked with an AI company to recreate her brother digitally, enabling him to testify against his killer, Gabriel Horcasitas, in a Maricopa County court. "On November 13, 2021, my brother was at a church softball game," Wales stated. "Within a mile and a half, he was dead." Judge Todd Lang sentenced Horcasitas to 10.5 years for involuntary manslaughter. This case highlights the emerging role of AI in the legal system, raising questions about its ethical implications and future use.