AI Avatar Represents Murder Victim in Court for the First Time

A legal precedent has been established in Arizona, USA, where the AI avatar of a deceased man, Chris Pelkey, was utilized in court to present a statement regarding the impact of a crime on the victim as part of the sentencing process. This marks the first instance of its kind globally, according to CBS News.

Chris Pelkey was fatally injured during a road rage incident. His assailant, Gabriel Horkazitas, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. When it came time for sentencing, Pelkey’s family struggled to find the right words for a «victim impact statement,» which is a personal address aimed at conveying the emotional side of their loss. Instead, they chose to let «Chris speak for himself.»

The avatar was developed by Pelkey’s sister, Stacey Wails, along with her husband, Tim. They utilized photographs and audio recordings of Chris from family archives to recreate his likeness and voice. The script for the AI was penned by Chris’s sister, conveying the words as if from the deceased. In the video, Chris discusses themes of forgiveness and even suggests that he and his murderer might have been friends in «another life.»

Judge Todd Lang allowed the video to be shown in court, and after viewing it, he remarked that he «saw the image of the victim» and deemed it authentic. Ultimately, Horkazitas was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison—a greater term than what the prosecution sought, yet exactly what the victim’s family requested.

This event has sparked a discussion about the future of AI in the justice system. In the United States, emotional and visual support for victim impact statements is permitted, making the introduction of such avatars a logical extension of existing practices.

Various public figures and legal experts have noted that this precedent raises crucial questions: «What are the limits of what is permissible in court? Can technology distort justice? Or could it, conversely, add a human touch to it?»

On a related note, I would like to recommend BotHub—a platform where you can test all popular AI models without restrictions. There’s no need for a VPN to access the service, and Russian cards are accepted. By following this link, you can receive 100,000 free tokens for your initial tasks and start experimenting right now!

[Source](https://naukatv.ru/news/iskusstvennyj_intellekt_c_avatarom_vpervye_vystupil_ot_litsa_zhertvy_na_sude)