Fugees rapper Pras files motion for new trial, alleges former lawyer used AI to bungle closing argument
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Fugees rapper Pras filed a motion for a new trial after he was convicted earlier this year of a multi-million dollar foreign influence campaign scheme, claiming that his former lawyer relied on an experimental AI program to draft a bungled closing statement.
In the motion filed Monday and reviewed by EW, new counsel for Pras, full name Prakazrel Michel, claimed former attorney David Kenner's AI-generated statement made "frivolous arguments, misapprehended the required elements, conflated the schemes and ignored critical weaknesses in the government's case." By using the experimental program, Kenner mangled "the single most important portion" of Pras' trial, they argued.
As a result, the closing argument was "deficient, unhelpful, and a missed opportunity that prejudiced the defense," the motion stated.
Peter Zeidenberg, one of Pas' new counsel and a former Justice Department political corruption prosecutor, said in the motion that his team first learned Kenner used AI program EyeLevel.AI during the trial from Pas' former publicist, who said that Kenner referenced the system at the end of the trial. EyeLevel.AI also issued a press release in May about the trial, hailing it as "the first use of generative AI in a federal trial."
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Pras
The release also featured the following quote attributed to Kenner: "This is an absolute game changer for complex litigation. The system turned hours or days of legal work into seconds. This is a look into the future of how cases will be conducted."
Kenner didn't immediately respond to EW's request for comment. Pas' new counsel declined further comment on the motion.
Pas was found guilty of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government in April, having been accused of funneling money from fugitive Malaysian businessman Jho Low through straw donors to Barack Obama's 2012 campaign and trying to impede an investigation into Low's money laundering scam, among other charges. Leonardo DiCaprio, who headlined the Low-financed The Wolf of Wall Street, was among those called to testify.
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
Related content:
