The deceased victim in a road rage incident was able to speak directly to his killer in a courtroom - well, sorta. The man’s sister used technology to create an AI version of her dead brother and had ‘him’ forgive the man who killed him. Yes, it’s weird and like the plot of a sci-fi movie. But this happened!
Here’s more. (READ)
Deceased man who was killed in a road rage incident, makes an impact statement in the courtroom with help from AI.
Bizarre.
Christopher Pelkey, then 37, lost his life after being shot during a 2021 road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona.
Stacey Wales, the sister of Pelkey, created an AI-generated video of her brother who "expressed forgiveness," something "she wasn’t ready to do herself." (CNN)
"The only thing that kept entering my head that I kept hearing was Chris and what he would say," Wales said to CNN.
"I had to very carefully detach myself in order to write this on behalf of Chris because what he was saying is not necessarily what I believe, but I know it’s what he would think."
Gabriel Paul Horcasitas was sentenced to over 10 years for manslaughter."
I love that AI. Thank you for that. As angry as you are and justifiably angry as the family is, I heard the forgiveness," Judge Todd Lang said.
Here’s the eerie video. (WATCH)
NEW: Deceased man who was k*lled in a road rage incident, makes an impact statement in the courtroom with help from AI.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 9, 2025
Bizarre.
Christopher Pelkey, then 37, lost his life after being shot during a 2021 road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona.
Stacey Wales, the sister of… pic.twitter.com/kD35W1YabM
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The scenario irked many posters on X. Many balked at the idea of words being put in the mouths of the deceased.
I would not want anyone writing words on my behalf post-mortem and then AI generating a video of me saying them.
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) May 9, 2025
I understand the reasoning for doing so... I just would never want that for myself.
My youngest son died at the age of 25. I would never dream of doing this. There is something very wrong with this thinking.
— AVS (@avsangies) May 9, 2025
It is creepy and could be abused by someone with an agenda I would not agree with. Never.
— Big Blue Golden (@BigBlueGolden) May 9, 2025
Nor should it be admissible in court
— Tara Starr (@TaraCse2012) May 9, 2025
A court allowing this sets a frightening precedent.
It’s bizarre that a facsimile of someone can offer forgiveness after a person’s death.
Somehow I think he would like to be alive and with his family right now.
— Old School Eddie (@Old_SchoolEddie) May 9, 2025
Forgiveness is great, sometimes hard to do, but it does not relinquish someone from the punishment of the act of taking a life.
They're putting words into his mouth that he didn't say. Pretty weird imo.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 9, 2025
Commenters warn that one day we’ll be able to bring the dead 'back to life' digitally.
The day will come when digitally recreating a loved one will be common place (given enough sample footage).
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) May 9, 2025
100% this will happen.
As much as I would love to see my parents “brought back to life,” it makes me very uncomfortable. I still can’t listen to my dad’s last voicemail after 5.5 years.
— Relentless Bunny (@JMW5424) May 9, 2025
I don’t like it. I am seriously creeped out by that story.
— Tonigirl from the D. (@Tonigirlie) May 9, 2025
I'm not sure I like it either. But its going to happen.
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) May 9, 2025
There is an episode of the dystopian sci-fi series Black Mirror that explores creating AI versions of people who are no longer among the living. Who knew this was already on the cusp of being reality? Scary.
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