In an extraordinary blend of grief, technology, and justice, Stacey Wales stood before an Arizona courtroom on Thursday and did what no one has reportedly done before in the United States: she played a victim impact statement delivered not by a survivor, but by a lifelike AI-generated version of her deceased brother — the man whose death the court was now addressing.
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The video, created using generative AI tools, portrayed Christopher Pelkey, a veteran and beloved brother fatally shot in a 2021 road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. It marked what experts believe is the first known use of artificial intelligence in a U.S. courtroom to recreate a deceased victim delivering a statement during sentencing.
“He doesn’t get a say. He doesn’t get a chance to speak,” Wales said. “We can’t let that happen. We have to give him a voice.”
For two years, Wales kept a running list of what she might say when finally given a chance to speak in court. The 2023 trial of Pelkey’s killer, Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, ended with a retrial due to procedural issues. Wales had held back emotion throughout both trials to avoid influencing the jury.
But as the 2025 sentencing approached, she found herself unable to settle on the right words — until she heard, in her mind, her brother’s voice.
“I didn’t want to get up there and say, ‘I forgive you,’ because I don’t — I’m not there yet,” she told NPR. “But I could hear Chris’ voice in my head, and he’s like, ‘I forgive him.’”
Pelkey, a combat veteran and man of faith, lived by a simple mantra: “Love God and love others.” Wales decided the most authentic way to honor him was to let his voice speak — literally.
Wales enlisted the help of her husband, Tim, and their business partner Scott Yentzer, both of whom had experience working with AI. Despite not having a clean audio recording or a forward-facing photo of Pelkey, they pieced together a realistic, emotionally resonant video using multiple AI platforms.
They trimmed Pelkey’s beard, digitally removed his sunglasses, and painstakingly worked to recreate his voice — even his laugh. The result was a 4.5-minute video that stunned the courtroom.
“It was a weird, out-of-body experience,” Wales reflected. She was so moved by the process that she later recorded a video of herself in case her family ever needed a clear version of her voice in the future.
When it came time to deliver her statement in court, Wales saved the AI video for last. Ten people had already spoken. Then, a digital Pelkey appeared onscreen, calmly introducing himself.
“Hello. Just to be clear for everyone seeing this, I’m a version of Chris Pelkey recreated through AI that uses my picture and my voice profile,” the avatar began.
He thanked his loved ones, expressed regret about the encounter with Horcasitas, and offered a message of forgiveness:
“In another life, we probably could have been friends. I believe in forgiveness and in God who forgives. I always have and I still do.”
The video ended with Pelkey’s avatar saying, “Well, I’m gonna go fishing now. Love you all. See you on the other side.”
The courtroom was silent. No objections were raised. Even Judge Todd Lang was moved.
“I loved that AI. Thank you for that,” Lang said. “Even though you demanded the maximum sentence, you allowed Chris to speak from his heart, as you saw it. I didn’t hear him asking for the maximum sentence.”
Horcasitas was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for manslaughter.
For Wales and her family, the video was more than a courtroom novelty — it was a critical step in their healing.
“It was very cathartic,” she said. “It gave me the strength to finally look back at photos of my brother. For my son, it was a chance to hear his uncle say goodbye.”
The statement also resonated with Wales’ victim rights attorney, Jessica Gattuso, who admitted initial hesitance before ultimately supporting the video’s inclusion.
“I knew it would have an impact on everyone — including the shooter — because it was a message of forgiveness,” she said.
AI and legal experts agree the case may mark a precedent in courtroom technology.
Dr. Maura Grossman, a law and computer science professor at the University of Waterloo, noted that because the video was not used as formal evidence and was presented before a judge, not a jury, its legal risks were minimal. Still, she and others caution about the broader implications.
“Victim statements like this that truly try to represent the dead victim’s voice are probably the least objectionable use of AI to create false videos,” wrote Gary Marchant, a law and ethics professor at Arizona State University. “Many attempts to use AI to create deep fakes will be much more malevolent.”
Wales herself echoed that warning. While AI brought her family closure, she urged others to use such tools with care and integrity.
“I could have been very selfish with it,” she said. “But it was important not to give any one person or group closure that could leave somebody else out.”
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