Lawyer cites fake witnesses in murder case and blames ChatGPT
10 hours ago
- New Mexico defense lawyer Stephen Aarons was fined $5,000 and held in contempt for submitting a court brief containing fabricated police testimony and witnesses created by ChatGPT.
- The New Mexico Supreme Court found the filing included false statements from wholly fictitious witnesses, and cited a lack of remorse and concern for his client.
- Aarons claimed he used ChatGPT to summarize trial proceedings without understanding its potential to hallucinate facts, calling it an honest mistake.
- The case adds to a growing trend of lawyers being disciplined for using AI-generated court documents without proper verification.
- The fabricated testimony included fictional details such as the shooter wearing dark pants and a white shirt.