ChatGPT invented witness testimony in a New Mexico murder appeal

A New Mexico lawyer defending against a murder conviction case used ChatGPT. He then submitted a brief to the New Mexico Supreme Court that contained made-up police statements and witness accounts.

The New Mexico Supreme Court found that attorney Stephen Aarons failed to verify the AI-generated material. The judges said the document “contained false testimony from wholly fabricated witnesses.”

The court held Stephen in contempt Wednesday and ordered him to pay $5,000. His conduct will also go before an attorney disciplinary board. The judges said Stephen had “demonstrated a lack of remorse and a lack of concern for his client.”

Stephen said he used ChatGPT last year to condense the trial record after taking the appeal. He said he did not realize how far AI “hallucinations” could go or how confidently software could produce facts that never happened.

New Mexico judges punish Stephen after ChatGPT invents testimony inside Oscar’s murder appeal

Stephen, a private attorney based in Santa Fe, represented Oscar Renee Sandoval. Oscar pleaded not guilty to killing the mother of his children. He was later convicted and received life in prison last year. His appeal remains pending.

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