A courtroom in Arizona recently witnessed an unprecedented event: the 'return' of a murder victim through the power of artificial intelligence. In a groundbreaking move, AI technology enabled the slain man to deliver a victim impact statement, offering a moment of profound emotion and even forgiveness towards the individual who caused his death.
Driven by a deep sense of loss, Stacey Wales dedicated two years to composing the victim impact statement she aimed to deliver in court after her brother's life was abruptly ended in a 2021 road rage incident.
Recreating A Victim's Voice
However, even with this lengthy dedication, Wales feared her statement couldn't fully convey the person Christopher Pelkey was and the thoughts he might have shared. With this in mind, Wales opted to empower Pelkey to share his perspective directly, facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
She and her husband created an AI-generated video version of Pelkey to play during his killer's sentencing hearing earlier this month that read, in a recreation of Pelkey's voice, a script that Wales wrote.
In the video, the AI-generated Pelkey voiced forgiveness for the person who shot him, a sentiment Wales was certain her brother would have felt, even though she herself hadn't reached that point. 'The only thing that kept entering my head that I kept hearing was Chris and what he would say,' Wales told CNN.
'I had to very carefully detach myself in order to write this on behalf of Chris because what he was saying is not necessarily what I believe, but I know it's what he would think.'
AI's Landmark Role
Artificial intelligence is steadily becoming more involved in legal and criminal justice procedures. Yet, this instance is considered a landmark as the first occasion where AI recreated a victim to deliver their personal impact statement.
As AI evolves to more closely resemble human capabilities, experts suggest that global society will increasingly need to confront moral and real-world dilemmas surrounding its application in replicating deceased individuals in legal settings and broader contexts.
'We've all heard the expression, 'seeing is believing, hearing is believing,' said Paul Grimm, a Duke University School of Law professor and former district court judge in Maryland.
Despite the state's recommendation of 9.5 years, Judge Todd Lang of Maricopa County Superior Court ultimately sentenced Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, who killed Pelkey, to 10.5 years for manslaughter. The total sentence, encompassing an endangerment charge, amounted to 12.5 years.
A hearing recording reveals Judge Lang's appreciation, stating, 'I love that AI. Thank you for that. As angry as you are and justifiably angry as the family is, I heard the forgiveness.'
Making Pelkey Part Of The Proceedings
The youngest of three siblings, Christopher Pelkey, was a veteran and, in the words of his sister Wales, 'the most forgiving and the friendliest' among them. His life was tragically cut short in November 2021 in Chandler, Arizona, at the age of 37.
Although the jury saw autopsy photos of Pelkey and surveillance video of his death during the trial, Wales stated that after Horcasitas was found guilty of reckless manslaughter, she wanted the judge to have a sense of who Pelkey was in life during the sentencing hearing.
With a professional background in technology, including creating AI video replicas of former executives for company presentations, Stacey and Tim Wales decided to explore replicating Pelkey using the same methods in the weeks before the sentencing.
Setting A Precedent?
To generate the AI likeness presented at the May 1st hearing, they utilised multiple software programs trained using photographs and a previously recorded video of Pelkey. The day before the sentencing hearing, Wales contacted her lawyer, Jessica Gattuso, to secure her approval for this approach.
Pelkey's AI-generated likeness is somewhat stilted and unpolished, like other such videos. It opens by acknowledging its creation through technology. Despite this, Wales stated her conviction that it accurately reflected his core being.
Jason Lamm, the legal representative for Horcasitas, stated that the defence team did not receive prior notification regarding the AI-generated victim impact statement. 'It appears that the judge gave some weight to the AI video, and that is an issue that will likely be pursued on appeal,' he added.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
