An Arizona man's road driving killer was sentenced to 10.5 years in jail last week after his victim spoke to the court through artificial intelligence, officials said Wednesday.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang Thursday Prosecutors said on November 13, 2021, Christopher Pelkey, 37, fatally shot Gabriel Paul Horcasitas' maximum sentence.

Horcasitas, 54, was convicted of manslaughter and endangerment this year.

Lang allowed Pelkey's loved ones to play the AI-generated version of the victim - his face and body and lifelike voice seemed to demand leniency from the judge.

“For Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me, we had each other’s shame that day,” said Pelkey’s artificial version. "In another life, we may be friends. I believe in forgiveness."

According to his loved ones and spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the idea of ​​using an AI version of Pelkey ​​comes from his family, not the country.

Pelkey's sister Stacey Wales and his brother-in-law both work in the field of AI. She said her husband not only hesitated when Wales suggested bringing her late brother into life.

"He backed off," Wales said to NBC News. "He said, 'Stacy, do you know what you want me to do? This is my best friend." I said, "I know." Then he said, "If it's not perfect, if it doesn't go out and really embody Chris' spirit, I wouldn't let it show up."''''

Horcasitas was convicted of manslaughter and endangerment at the trial in the spring of 2023. However, a new trial was ordered when the judge ruled that the prosecutor failed to disclose potential primary evidence in a timely manner.

Wales said she did not come up with the idea in 2023. Two years after trying to make a victim impact statement, she said her epiphany was the only important voice that was the voice of her late brother.

"Whenever I go to a shower or a car, my thoughts are quiet, and I write down my feelings - frustration, crying or emotions, yelling, anger, love, everything I can think of."

“I’ve been writing for two years, but I never thought about helping Chris speak until a week and a half before the second trial.”

She added: "I have to say it seems to be justified to make a decision for the last person to listen to Chris's life."

Horcasitas was sentenced to seven to 10.10.10 years. The defense demands minimum punishment.

Lang provides the greatest effect, but he acknowledges the words in the speech. "And I'm angry like you, as angry as my family, I hear forgiveness." "I think that's true, and his obvious forgiveness to Mr. Horcasitas reflects the role of (Pelkey) I heard today."

Defense attorney Jason Lamm said the AI ​​speech brought a strong problem to the appeal.

"Although the judge certainly has a latitude to the sounds he hears, the Court of Appeal will have to decide whether this is wrong, if it is too far away in terms of inflammation and the extent to which the judge is imposing sentences on my client," Lamm said.

Gary Marchant, a law professor at Arizona State University who specializes in ethics and emerging technologies, praised the work produced by Pelkey's loved ones, which seemed to go against their self-interests the highest punishment for Horcasitas.

But he said he was worried about the precedent it sets.

"This family did a great job of representing what he would say, and they would have the best feel for what he said," Markant said. "But on the other hand, it's totally fake, right? It's not true."

Marchant said that while prosecutors and defense attorneys have long used visual aids, charts and other illustrations to express their views, AI has raised new ethical challenges.

“I mean, it’s a blurry line, right?” said Marchant, who is recommending AI on the state Supreme Court committee committee. "You see someone who talks, right? Right? You see that person in court is actually talking, and in fact, they're dead, they're not talking. It's an extra jump to the foundation that I think is going to put us in a dangerous place."