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.
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...
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