
AI helps road rage victim confront 'killer' in court
CHANDLER, Ariz., May 10, (AP): There were dozens of statements submitted to the court by family and friends of Christopher Pelkey when it came time to sentence the man convicted of fatally shooting him during a road rage incident. They provided glimpses of Pelkey's humor, his character and his military service.
But there was nothing quite like hearing from the victim himself - even if it was an AI-generated version.
In what's believed to be a first in US courts, Pelkey's family used artificial intelligence to create a video using his likeness to give him a voice. The AI rendering of Pelkey told the shooter during the sentencing hearing last week that it was a shame they had to meet that day in 2021 under those circumstances - and that the two of them probably could have been friends in another life.
"I believe in forgiveness and in God who forgives. I always have and I still do,' Pelkey's avatar told Gabriel Paul Horcasitas.
The AI version of Pelkey went on to share advice for people to make the most of each day and to love each other, not knowing how much time one might have left.
While use of artificial intelligence within the court system is expanding, it's typically been reserved for administrative tasks, legal research and case preparation. In Arizona, it's helped inform the public of rulings in significant cases.
Using AI to generate victim impact statements marks a new - and legal, at least in Arizona - tool for sharing information with the court outside the evidentiary phases.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang, who presided over the road rage case, said after watching the video that he imagined Pelkey, who was 37 at the time of his killing, would have felt that way after learning about him. Lang also noted the video said something about Pelkey's family, who had expressed their anger over his death and had asked for Horcasitas to receive the maximum sentence.
Horcasitas, 54, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10.5 years in prison.
"Even though that's what you wanted, you allowed Chris to speak from his heart as you saw it," Lang said.
Horcasitas' lawyer, Jason Lamm, told The Associated Press they filed a notice to appeal his sentence within hours of the hearing. Lamm said it's likely that the appellate court will weigh whether the judge improperly relied on the AI video when handing down the sentence.
The shooting happened the afternoon of Nov. 13, 2021, as both drivers were stopped at a red light. According to records, Pelkey was shot after getting out of his truck and walking back toward Horcasitas' car.
Pelkey's sister, Stacey Wales, raised the idea of her brother speaking for himself.
For years, while the case worked its way through the legal system, Wales said she thought about what she would say at the sentencing hearing. She struggled to get words down on paper.
But when she thought about what her brother would say to the shooter, knowing he would have forgiven him, the words poured out of her.
In Arizona, victims can give their impact statements in any digital format, said victims' rights attorney Jessica Gattuso, who represented the family.
Arizona Supreme Court Justice Ann Timmer didn't address the road rage case specifically in an interview Wednesday. But she said the rise in popularity and accessibility to AI in recent years led to the formation of a committee to research best practices in the courts.
Gary Marchant, a member of the committee and a law professor at Arizona State University, said he understands why Pelkey's family did it. But he warned the use of this technology could open the door to more people trying to introduce AI-generated evidence into courtrooms.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab Times
5 hours ago
- Arab Times
Police use water cannon in response to anti-immigrant violence in Northern Ireland town
LONDON, June 11, (AP): Demonstrators pelted police with bricks, bottles and fireworks and set vehicles alight on Tuesday in a second night of anti-immigrant violence in the Northern Ireland town of Ballymena. Police used water cannon and plastic baton rounds in an attempt to disperse a crowd of several hundred people in the town 25 miles (40 km) north of Belfast. Violence erupted Monday after a peaceful march to show support for the family of the victim of an alleged sexual assault on the weekend. Two 14-year-old boys have been charged. The suspects have not been identified because of their age. They were supported in court by a Romanian interpreter. Several houses were set on fire on the first night of disorder on Monday. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 15 officers were injured. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said officers were "actively working to identify those responsible for last night's racially motivated disorder in Ballymena and bring them to justice.' He said the violence should be "loudly condemned by all right thinking people. "Any attempt to justify or explain it as something else is misplaced,' he said.


Arab Times
5 hours ago
- Arab Times
Lawmakers expelled from Greece's parliament over ties to jailed far-right politician
ATHENS, Greece, June 11, (AP): Three far-right lawmakers in Greece were expelled Tuesday from parliament due to ties with a jailed politician convicted of leading a criminal organization. A court found that Vasilis Stigas, the leader of the far-right Spartans party, and two other party lawmakers had misled voters in the 2023 parliamentary election. The decision comes as concerns grow among traditionally dominant political parties over the rise of far-right parties across Europe and their willingness to disrespect democratic rules. The court determined the three had effectively served as proxies for a former member of Golden Dawn, a neo-Nazi inspired party, who was sentenced in 2020 to 13 years in prison for orchestrating violent attacks against migrants and political opponents. The decision, welcomed by Greece's conservative government, will reduce the number of seats in parliament from 300 to 297 for the remainder of the legislative term through 2027. It also lowers the threshold required to pass legislation from 151 votes to 149. The Spartans party, which won 4.7% of the popular vote in 2023, has denied any affiliation with Golden Dawn and did not immediately respond to the ruling. Two remaining Spartans lawmakers will continue to serve as independents.


Arab Times
5 hours ago
- Arab Times
Colombian authorities charge 15-year-old with attempted murder of presidential candidate
BOGOTA, Colombia, June 11, (AP): Colombian authorities on Tuesday charged a 15-year-old with attempted murder for the assasination attempt on Miguel Uribe, the conservative presidential candidate who was shot in the head this weekend and is now in critical condition. The Attorney General's office said the teenager shot at Uribe during a rally in Bogota's Modelia neighborhood and was captured fleeing the scene with a gun. The teenager, whose name has not been released, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently recovering in a hospital from leg wounds. Colombia's Defense Minister said on Tuesday that authorities are still investigating who may have been behind the attack on Uribe, a 39-year-old senator and one of the nation's most visible opposition figures. Armed groups in Colombia frequently recruit minors for assassinations and other crimes, a practice driven by the lenient penalties they face under Colombian law. The teenager charged with attempted murder on Tuesday faces up to eight years in detention. A judge has ordered his detention at a juvenile center once he leaves hospital. The attack on Uribe has been widely condemned in Colombia, where many voters are concerned about the country's deteriorating security situation. Uribe, whose maternal grandfather was a Colombian president, is the son of Diana Turbay, a prominent news anchor who was assassinated in 1991 after being kidnapped by the powerful Medellin Cartel. Colombian opposition parties have asked for greater security guarantees in the wake of the attack, with some also urging President Gustavo Petro to moderate his rhetoric, as the nation prepares for presidential elections next year. While Petro condemned the attack on Uribe, he often refers to opposition leaders in his speeches and social media posts as "Nazis' "oligarchs' and "enemies of the people.' On Tuesday, Uribe's wife María Claudia Tarazona addressed journalists outside the hospital where the senator is being treated, calling for unity and calm. "I call on every sector, on all the political groups, on armed groups and on every corner of this country to heal,' she said, adding that Uribe "is a warrior who is fighting for his life.'