AI Helps Victim Speak at Sentencing in Arizona Case
In 2021, Chris Perky was tragically killed in a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. Fast forward three and a half years, and Perky’s voice was heard again in a courtroom, addressing the man responsible for his death.
In a video presentation, Perky reflected on the situation with empathy: “It’s a shame for Gabriel Holcasitas, the man who shot me, to have met each other in such a situation. In another life, we might have been friends.” Wearing his familiar grey baseball cap and sporting the same thick red and brown beard from his life, Perky shared sentiments of forgiveness, stating, “I’m a god who believes in forgiveness and forgives. I’ve always had it and I still do.”
Perky was a 37-year-old religious military combat veteran. On the fateful day in 2021, after leaving his vehicle and returning to Holcasitas’ car, he was shot at a red light.
What made this court appearance unique was the use of artificial intelligence, potentially the first instance of AI being utilized for victim impact statements. Stacey Wales, Perky’s sister, explained to local media that when she gathered over 40 statements from Chris’s family and friends, she frequently thought about how Chris would have expressed himself.
When asked, “What would Chris say?” Wales took the initiative to create the video using AI models and audio recordings that captured Perky’s emotions and thoughts.
As AI becomes more integrated into society, the U.S. Judicial Council Advisory Committee is beginning to solicit public input on how to manage AI-generated evidence in the courtroom.
The judge, Todd Lang, reacted positively to the AI presentation, ultimately sentencing Holcasitas to 10.5 years in prison for manslaughter. Lang expressed gratitude for the technology, saying, “I loved that AI, thank you for that. I’m just as angry as you, just as angry as my family, I heard forgiveness. I feel it’s real.”
John, Perky’s brother, conveyed a sense of healing after seeing Chris’s likeness and felt strongly that his brother had found the capacity to forgive his killer. “It was a guy I knew,” he remarked, reflecting on their relationship.
