Dead shooting victim makes AI-generated court appearance, giving some the willies

An Arizona man sort of came back from the dead to address his killer in court, thanks to artificial intelligence, leaving his family with a sense of peace but others with a sense of horror.

On Monday, the friends and family of the late Christopher Pelkey gathered in the courtroom of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang for the sentencing of Gabriel Horcasitas, who had been convicted of manslaughter in Pelkey's death.

In November 2021, the two men got into a road-rage battle that escalated quickly. At a red light, Pelkey, 37, exited his vehicle and confronted Horcasitas, 50, outside of his car, at which point Horcasitas drew a weapon and fired several rounds at Pelkey, killing him, KNXV-TV reported at the time.

Now, three and a half years later, Pelkey made a return of sorts after his sister, Stacey Wales; her husband, Tim; and Tim's friend Scott Yentzer created a video that included a simulacrum of Pelkey giving a statement written by Wales.

"I'm a version of Chris Pelkey recreated through AI that uses my picture and my voice profile," the simulacrum said on a clip that can be viewed here.

The simulated Pelkey then addressed Horcasitas, offering forgiveness and a message of hope and redemption.

"To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me: It is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances," Pelkey's image said. "In another life, we probably could have been friends."

"I believe in forgiveness and God who forgives. I always have, and still do," the image continued.

The simulated Pelkey even drew attention to his digitally aged appearance, encouraging listeners not to lament the natural aging process. "This is the best I can ever give you of what I would have looked like if I got the chance to grow old," AI Pelkey said. "Remember, getting old is a gift that not everybody has, so embrace it and stop worrying about those wrinkles."

'AI can ... hinder or even upend justice if inappropriately used.'

Even though Pelkey's loved ones submitted nearly 50 victim impact statements, "there was one missing piece," Wales said. "There was one voice that was not in those letters."

So Wales' husband and friend Yentzer, who have worked with artificial intelligence technology for years, put their heads together to find a way to give Chris a voice. Wales said the two men created "a Frankenstein of love" using several different tools mashed together. The result is believed to be the first AI-generated victim impact statement used in an American court.

The video of Pelkey's image had a profound emotional impact on many in the courtroom, including Pelkey's brother John. "To see his face and to hear his voice [talk about forgiveness], just waves of healing washed over my soul. Because that was the man that I knew," John said.

Judge Lang was likewise moved. While prosecutors had recommended a nine-and-a-half-year sentence, Judge Lang sentenced Horcasitas to 10 and a half years and professed admiration for the AI-generated victim statement.

"I love that AI," the judge said at the hearing. "Thank you for that. I felt like that was genuine, that his obvious forgiveness of Mr. Horcasitas reflects the character I heard about today."

Not everyone was so enthusiastic about the video, however. The New York Post described it as "eerie," and Arizona Chief Justice Ann Timmer noted that while AI may have an important role to play in American courtrooms going forward, it should be monitored carefully.

"AI can ... hinder or even upend justice if inappropriately used," Timmer explained in a statement. "A measured approach is best. Along those lines, the court has formed an AI committee to examine AI use and make recommendations for how best to use it. At bottom, those who use AI — including courts — are responsible for its accuracy."

Others online were similarly wary:

• "This is highly inappropriate and I cannot believe it was allowed to happen in a court of law," quipped Michigan journalist James David Dickson.
• "This doesn't seem ... healthy for anyone or anything involved," said the Scottish Law Librarians Group.
• "The most distressing technological development of the year," added another user.
• "Not sure what's worse: the sister presenting the AI of her dead brother in court [or] the judge's reaction to it," said yet another user.

One X user warned loved ones against even thinking about pulling such a stunt. "If I die and you do this s*** to me I will haunt your a** like you would not believe," the user promised. "I'm talkin VERY spooky antics."

Peter Gietl, managing editor of Return at Blaze Media, is likewise disgusted that an "AI ghost" was admitted into an American court of law.

"I can’t believe a judge would allow a kangaroo court to occur in a court of law. The defendant should try to get a mistrial declared," he told Blaze News in a statement. "Unfortunately, these AI ghosts are going to become more common. However, they aren’t the real person any more than a cartoon is."

"An AI creation of a deceased family member is not your family member, and disturbing at a core level of our humanity."

Still, Wales seems at peace with the video and statement she helped create on her late brother's behalf. "I want the world to know Chris existed," she said. "If one person hears his name or sees this footage and goes to his Facebook page or looks him up on YouTube, they will hear Chris’ love."

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