Determining how much and in which ways artificial intelligence (AI) can help legal professionals is an ongoing process. This also applies to where and when it will be permitted in courtrooms. While there have been notable missteps, it's becoming clear that AI and the law will figure out ways to work together. As demonstrated in Arizona, they can even let the dead speak — sort of.
On May 1, 2025, Christopher Pelkey addressed a courtroom in Arizona filled with family, friends, court officials, and the man who killed him, Gabriel Paul Horcasitas. This was accomplished through an AI rendering made by his sister and her husband. It marks the first time AI has been used in this manner in a court of law. Will it become the norm, or was this a morbid one-off?
Trying To Find the Words
On November 13, 2021, an instance of road rage brought about the end of Chris Pelkey's life. Stopped at a traffic light in Chandler, Arizona, Pelkey exited his vehicle to confront Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, who was in the car behind him. Horcasitas testified that Pelkey seemed threatening. Fearing for his life, he drew his handgun and fired several shots, striking Pelkey. Pelkey would later die from his wounds in a local hospital.
Although Arizona has a version of a "stand your ground" law in place, Horcasitas was arrested for first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, and endangerment. After a conviction at the original trial was tossed out over procedural issues, Horcasitas was retried in 2025 and found guilty of manslaughter.
Stacey Wales had waited years to be able to confront her brother's killer during the sentencing phase of the trial. Still angry from what she considered a senseless loss of life, she and her family had been pushing for Horcasitas, a first-time violent crime offender convicted of a Class 2 felony, to receive the maximum penalty of 21 years.
Able to imagine what her brother would say but unable to articulate it in her own voice, Wales turned to an unconventional approach. With the aid of her husband and his business partner, they used an amalgamation of AI programs to create a new way of delivering a victim's impact statement.
Frankenstein's Monster for the Digital Age?
Using snippets of Pelkey's voice, the AI programs were taught to mimic his speech patterns. A photo of Pelkey was altered to avoid technical issues. After getting approval from both her victim's rights attorney and the presiding judge, the four-and-a-half minute long video clip was played at Horcasitas' sentencing hearing after 10 other friends and family members had spoken on Pelkey's behalf.
While it was probably obvious to those watching, the video opened with an explanation of what was happening. "Hello. Just to be clear for everyone seeing this, I'm a version of Chris Pelkey recreated through AI that uses my picture and my voice profile," it began. It went on to thank those who had made impact statements and the others present at the proceedings.
When AI Pelkey addressed his killer, the message took an unexpected tone of forgiveness, a personality trait Wales said best represented the kind of person her brother was. It opined that under different situations, Pelkey and Horcasitas would have likely gotten along and possibly even been friends.
Instead of finishing with demands for justice, AI Pelkey told his friends and family to both love one another and live life to the fullest. It then said he was going fishing, one of Pelkey's passions in life.
And Now There's Precedent
Despite the uncharted waters the AI presentation was sailing into, neither the judge nor the defense tried to stop it. Afterwards, Judge Todd Lang said, "I loved that AI. Thank you for that." He further noted that, considering the family's stance holding for a maximum sentence, the mercy and forgiveness presented by the video spoke volumes.
So, an AI avatar was permitted to break new legal ground. Was it effective? While Judge Lang didn't give Horcasitas the maximum of 21 years, he settled on 10.5 years, one year more than prosecutors suggested. Whether the ghostly impact statement was too prejudicial will likely set a new precedent, as Horcasitas' attorneys indicated they'd challenge the sentence with an appeal.
Related Resources
- Lawyer With Cartoon Dragon on Filing Irritates the Scales of Justice (FindLaw's Practice of Law)
- Haven't Started Using AI Yet? You Aren't as Behind as You Think. (FindLaw's Practice of Law)
- Big 4 Firm KPMG Gains Approval To Practice Law in Arizona (FindLaw's Practice of Law)
