In a groundbreaking moment blending technology and justice, the voice of Chris Pelkey — killed in a 2021 Arizona road rage shooting — returned to court this month via artificial intelligence to deliver his own victim impact statement at his killer’s sentencing.
Pelkey’s family, led by his sister Stacey Wales, used AI to recreate his voice and likeness from existing recordings, photos, and videos. The AI-generated video featured Pelkey in a grey baseball cap, expressing a message of forgiveness. “In another life, we probably could have been friends,” the digital version said to Gabriel Horcasitas, who was sentenced to 10.5 years for manslaughter.
The presiding judge, Todd Lang, acknowledged the emotional weight of the AI message, praising its tone of compassion and closure. “I loved that AI. I heard the forgiveness,” he told the court.
While the court setting allowed the technology — as no jury was involved — the ethical debate has begun. Experts like retired judge Paul Grimm called it an “irresistible” tool for future legal use, noting Arizona courts already employ AI for summarizing rulings.
But Carnegie Mellon’s Derek Leben raised concerns about future misuse, questioning whether such AI recreations would always stay true to a victim’s actual beliefs.
For Wales, however, the technology offered healing. “We used this tool to build, not to break,” she said.
This moment may well mark a turning point in how AI intersects with justice, memory, and mourning in the digital age.
