Lawyer Cites ChatGPT-Invented Fake Witnesses in Murder Appeal
"Do you watch the news? Do you listen to the radio? Do you read anything about what's going on in the world?” one of the judges asked the lawyer, who submitted false testimony and witnesses after using ChatGPT.
Stephen D. Aarons, a New Mexico attorney, utilized ChatGPT to generate a brief that contained entirely fabricated witnesses and testimony for a client accused of murdering his wife. Upon being discovered by the judges, Aarons blamed his actions on his own "stupidity." During a hearing before five judges, Aarons stated, "It's little comfort to know that my stupidity is what brings us together this afternoon."
The New Mexico Supreme Court ordered Aarons to appear in contempt of court, referred him to the Disciplinary Board for further action, and barred him from practicing before the court until the outcome of the investigation. Aarons had not informed his client about the use of ChatGPT in the case, as he is currently serving a life sentence in prison.
The fabricated testimony included a nonexistent individual named Danny Stanton and another made-up person, Linda Stanton, both claiming to have received threats. Aarons expressed remorse but hoped the disciplinary board would consider his actions as an "honest mistake." The judge criticized Aarons for being uninformed about the potential issues with AI, stating that one would be unaware of such problems unless they were "living under a rock."
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