US lawyer cites fake witnesses in murder case, blames ChatGPT

What the report says

New Mexico’s state Supreme Court has sanctioned Santa Fe defense attorney Stephen Aarons after he filed an appeal brief in a murder case that included fabricated police testimony and made-up witnesses, material the court said was produced with help from ChatGPT. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the filing was submitted in the appeal of Oscar Renee Sandoval, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in connection with the killing of the mother of his children. The appeal remains pending.

The court fined Aarons $5,000, held him in contempt, and said it would refer him to the state attorney disciplinary board for further review. The justices said he failed to verify the accuracy of the filing and showed little remorse or concern for his client. Aarons told Reuters that he had used ChatGPT to help summarize trial materials and did not realize how much the tool could generate incorrect information. He described the mistake as unintentional and said he hoped disciplinary officials would consider that.

The case adds to a growing number of sanctions involving lawyers who have submitted court papers containing AI-generated errors without adequate checking. In this instance, the problem went beyond incorrect citations, with the court saying the brief included invented witness statements and other false details. The ruling highlights the risks of using generative AI in legal work, especially in criminal cases where accuracy can affect a defendant’s appeal.