This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...
You have to be a subscriber to view this page.

Technology,
Evidence

Jul. 11, 2025

When murder victims testify through AI, California law is ready

A family's AI-generated courtroom statement honoring a murder victim challenges our discomfort with technology -- but fits squarely within existing legal frameworks.

James Mixon

Managing Attorney
California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District

See more...

When murder victims testify through AI, California law is ready
Shutterstock

Murder victim Christopher Pelkey addressed his killer: "It is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances. In another life, we probably could have been friends." The artificial intelligence-generated (AI)  image flickered and faded, leaving the courtroom in stunned silence. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang's response was unexpectedly human: "I loved that AI, thank you for...

To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$795 for an entire year!

Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)

Already a subscriber?

Enewsletter Sign-up